1
as in grunting
speech that is not clear enough to be understood
preoccupied with what he was doing, the mechanic gave only a grunt when I asked when the car would be ready
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work
we have an opening in the warehouse if you don't mind doing grunt work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to mutter
to speak softly and unclearly
was so absorbed with the video game that when asked what he wanted for dinner, he just grunted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grunt
Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2025
Challenge a good ol’ boy on a tractor to diagram a sentence and the reaction would likely amount to a short grunt.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 10 July 2025
Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
But in the fifth set, when everything was on the line, Paul mixed in just enough slices and sharp angles, while Khachanov fell back to his flat, grunting power, which has its limits in these parts.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grunt
Noun
There is also all that grunt, powered by in-wheel electric motors.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2025
Challenge a good ol’ boy on a tractor to diagram a sentence and the reaction would likely amount to a short grunt.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 10 July 2025
Verb
That’s where the name came from, the R and the J and the sound pigs make grunting.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
But in the fifth set, when everything was on the line, Paul mixed in just enough slices and sharp angles, while Khachanov fell back to his flat, grunting power, which has its limits in these parts.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for grunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunt
Noun
-
This was a very common patriotic project for volunteer laborers in late‑war Japan—especially among those either too old or too young to perform more demanding and exacting full‑time war plant work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
-
However, in contrast to the vision of free yeoman workers, historians have found that most laborers who arrived on the first ships were either indentured to individual masters or bound by some other kind of contract that limited their freedom.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Police searched for Best and his son Zeke for two days before a group of hunters came across the father naked in the snow alongside a local highway and muttering incoherently with baby Zeke laying dead nearby, PEOPLE reported at the time.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
28 July 2025
-
Before immediately snapping, sighing loudly, or muttering a passive-aggressive comment, try pausing to consider what else might be going on first: Maybe your barista’s slammed with 10 other complicated orders, for instance, or your housemate had a brutal week at work.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
The trust fund used to make up the difference between what workers are paying in and what Social Security pays out in benefits is projected to run out of money in nine years.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images In one of the world’s most expensive cities, more workers are living paycheck to paycheck The Singapore consumer’s reputation for financial prudence and high savings is showing signs of strain.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Some mumble that a guy named McKinley tried it in 1890.—
Bob Haber,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
-
Sarah mumbles some nonsense and changes the subject.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Retail therapy glints at Luxury Plaza: think OMEGA watches, fine jewellery, and a whisper of indulgence.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
These rules were administered via cold shoulders and whispers.—
Alessandra Schade,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Melancholic nylon guitars, murmuring bongos, and the distant cry of a trumpet create a vibe that sounds timeless — the magic is undeniable.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Her response was met with audible gasps and murmurs from the Wimbledon crowd.—
Kasia Pilat,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
The Bulldogs players began to tap their friends and mouth the quarterback’s name.—
Adam Grosbard,
Orange County Register,
5 Mar. 2025
-
Ford decided to mouth his last name at the end, a decision that caused observers to break out in laughter.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunt. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share