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
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Recent Examples of growl
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Even the cats and the larger dog weren’t safe from her protective growls.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 11 July 2025
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
Absent a real dog, though, consider playing a recording of a dog growling and barking.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for growl
Verb
The 120-pound canine's confusion resulted in a growl and a warning bite, Kashen told Newsweek via TikTok.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Even the cats and the larger dog weren’t safe from her protective growls.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
Night terrors might lead to thrashing limbs, growling, or biting.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
Absent a real dog, though, consider playing a recording of a dog growling and barking.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
Verb
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On a StudBudz stream, Courtney Williams complained about having to share space at the team’s practice area, particularly when players and other attendees of the recreation center need to shower.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Roman complains about pain in his feet, and Dennis offers him a foot massage.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Amazon subsidiary behind Masters of the Universe is called Regal Leo UK Productions in a nod to He-Man's royal lineage and MGM's roaring lion logo.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Forget roaring lawnmowers and fuel-guzzling tractors.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tanks rumbled through Tiananmen Square, a location that offered a stark reminder of how authoritarian states can violently crush democratic movements.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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The early-morning thunderstorms that rumbled across the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys Tuesday also produced nearly 10,000 dry lightning strikes, sparking wildfires from the Mother Lode to the grasslands of eastern Sacramento County.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Some state laws also prevent pharmacists from administering vaccines that haven’t been recommended by ACIP—a snarl that’s prompted pharmacies to limit access to COVID vaccines in more than a dozen states.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
5 Sep. 2025
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There’s the merchandise snarl that ensues when Cole Caufield decides to swap out his No. 22 for No. 13 to honor the memory of Johnny Gaudreau.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Deputies arrived to the sound of screaming and found the 16-year-old Elijah Quintero on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
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Curtis Pleasant remembers wading through the water, chest deep, screaming and searching.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In lesser hands, such a question, especially from a young white male who plays guitar for a living, could come off as whining.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
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And since then, his crying and whining have increased.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Julia says, dropping to all fours and moaning amid a pile of straw on the floor.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ellis could be heard moaning and could be seen lying on the ground.—
Elena Santa Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There are few actors whose disembodied voices could carry long stretches of cinema, but Dafoe manages it, turning monologues about marionette mechanics or muttered complaints about hotel politics into something weirdly magnetic.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
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He was also heard muttering expletives down the stretch, visibly battling the heat and pressure.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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