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
Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
Patients may growl or hiss at you.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 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
Suddenly all of those wolves appeared to pile on one wolf, and the growling and yipping carried for miles in the still, cold air.
—Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
Patients may growl or hiss at you.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 31 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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The sale of Internet Pro began in February through the Mobile Communications Company of Iran (MCI), after businesses complained that they had been hurt by heavily restricted access during nationwide protests in January.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
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Finch complained about a foul not being called as the Spurs trapped Edwards near half court.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
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The engine could be heard roaring as the SUV hurtled across the parking lot.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
-
Measles, largely gone for decades in the developed world, has come roaring back.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Heavy equipment rumbled away on what is now red clay, no longer road asphalt, at the site Tuesday.—
Joe Marusak
May 14,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
-
Trainor’s family and friends had followed the 30-year-old officer’s casket in a motorcade that rumbled through Federal Street, up to the church’s front doors.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
13 May 2026
Noun
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And when jet lag snarls your normal rest pattern, the window views and a cup of traditional Chinese tea awaiting each guest’s arrival become a pleasant distraction.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
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Locals going to the matches are advised to use public transportation if possible, not only to avoid paying for parking but also to avoid traffic snarls around the stadium.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Verb
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One morning in 2013, before the sun had risen, Hiba and Ibrahim heard gunshots and screams.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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Also, there was an element of danger, and doing a scene that is really arduous, achieving an emotional peak for an amount of time and performing physical acts and screaming [about] a matter of life and death.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Second, in a report of their own, the pro-business commissioners whined that all of this was unfair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
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Last week, the whining noise of unmanned flying objects could be heard in the city of Moscow once again.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Coach Arne Slot moaned about VAR but his problems lie much closer to home.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
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The score by Joseph Bishara is shivery with chorales that moan like wraiths in the wind.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Across the game, the crowd raged with injustice and annoyance at a refereeing performance Bayern supporters will mutter about for years.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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