1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he was growling about how much work he had to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to roar
to make a long loud deep noise or cry
the neighbor's dog growls every time we pass the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of growl
Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
All of those slurps and clacks and growls and squishes are amplified and enhanced in Noah Hawley’s new FX series to delicious, nightmarish results.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2025
Katie Rife, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2025
Food insecurity doesn’t necessarily mean kids are going to bed with growling stomachs every night.
—Oona Hanson, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for growl
Verb
And maybe, just maybe, a horseshoe-moustached, hardened rocker with a booming growl will quietly leave a grocery store tomorrow to take his mushroom mocha milk back home.
—Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
All of those slurps and clacks and growls and squishes are amplified and enhanced in Noah Hawley’s new FX series to delicious, nightmarish results.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Hawke returns too, grumbling and growling behind a rubber mask (and, eventually, some grisly prosthetics).
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2025
Food insecurity doesn’t necessarily mean kids are going to bed with growling stomachs every night.
—Oona Hanson, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
Verb
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Some Russians already have complained about Max’s functionality (and mocked VK’s semi-cheesy, semi-effective enlistment of rappers, comedians, and influencers to promote it).—
Justin Sherman,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Don’t-complain, just-eat-your-meal type people.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bieber struck out eight Mariners, roaring after striking out Raleigh to end the fifth and bouncing back to the dugout when his final inning finished.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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The crowd roared in jubilation and waved blue-and-white Israeli flags.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But for a 336-pound player to block a kick attempt, recover the ball and rumble 61 yards for a touchdown?—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Lloyd picked off a Patrick Mahomes pass and rumbled the other way for a touchdown that may have been the biggest difference in the contest that had featured multiple game-changing plays.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The result has been a seemingly endless run of East Washington Street roadwork and traffic snarls from Alabama Street downtown to I-465.—
Ryan Murphy,
IndyStar,
25 Sep. 2025
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There was talk of traffic snarls and strain on the power grid.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There are up to 20,000 rabid people raining down their emotions from all angles, a dozen sticks clattering, two dozen skates carving, all those burly bodies bumping into each other and banging into the boards, plus an endless stream of screaming and grunting and cursing.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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The professional chef, who had never smelled her own feet before, screamed as Barrymore picked up her foot and gave it a sniff.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The floor buffers come out, whining like jet engines in the hallways, erasing over a month’s worth of shoe scuffs that made the place look like the dasher boards at the hockey rink.—
Mark Glende,
Twin Cities,
15 Oct. 2025
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While there is anecdotal evidence that suggests dogs display addictive-like behaviors towards their toys, such as whining if a toy is out of reach or playing despite being injured, this study put it to the test.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
There’s something moaning in the background.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
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The deputies ultimately roll him over before putting on handcuffs as Mull can be heard moaning in pain.—
Nathaniel Percy,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But the other 3%, often muttered by students prospectively examining transfer applications, is distinct.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
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Your dad mutters for head movement, for cage cutting, for not playing off the back and creating distance.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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