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
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
China holds Tibet without noticeable bother, commits crimes against its Uyghur Muslim minority with impunity, launches acts of aggression against its neighbors in the South China Sea, and growls off any court or tribunal that looks askance—which few do.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
My father was a lump under the covers, snoring a thick growl.
—Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for growl
Verb
But the innocent visit turns ugly when Alice keeps growling at a wall.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
China holds Tibet without noticeable bother, commits crimes against its Uyghur Muslim minority with impunity, launches acts of aggression against its neighbors in the South China Sea, and growls off any court or tribunal that looks askance—which few do.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
In the German Colony neighborhood, where my family lives, the constant, low growl of fighter jets has become a kind of white noise.
—Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
My father was a lump under the covers, snoring a thick growl.
—Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
Verb
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Elsewhere, Super Mario Galaxy is hardly complaining about coming in second ruling the roost for weeks, since it’s now focused on becoming the first film of the year to join the billion-dollar club after finishing Sunday with a global total of $871 million.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Apr. 2026
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Commenters who never have been — and never will go — complain about the cost, the influencers, the hype.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s why Marvell Technology and Club name Broadcom have roared.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
19 Apr. 2026
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The room of devoted fans roar at each gyration.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Light rumbling could be felt as far away as Tokyo.—
Kevin Shalvey,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
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Just outside the main entrance of Spectrum Center, as a saxophone blared and drums rumbled and fans hummed past each other with life, there stood Bradley Davis.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fertilizer stocks — The persisting snarl in shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz drove trading of chemical and fertilizer stocks Monday.—
Christina Cheddar Berk,Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Killing birds, scampering around the crawl space at night, making the local coyotes snarl at Charlie’s SUV… everything Katie does has to be deniable enough for her parents to roll with it, a story choice that defangs Cronin’s ability to let loose.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There are so, so many screaming questions that nobody will ever have answers to.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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The reveal is pretty hilarious with everyone screaming and scrambling around like cartoon characters.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the other end, the Rockets were a complete mess, dissolving in two whining technical fouls in the third quarter that sealed their fate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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This is why all the whining and complaining from small market teams across the sport is manipulative nonsense.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the British side of the Pond, however, no government has dared to do worse things to the BBC than moan about it.—
Max Hastings,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
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On the British side of the Pond, however, no government has dared to do worse things to the BBC than moan about it.—
Max Hastings,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Tuesday, cameras caught Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing muttering something after looking back at the Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, who was in discomfort after an awkward slide at home plate.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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The scent of vinegar fills the set, and a crew member wanders by muttering about dyeing Easter eggs.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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