grunt 1 of 2

noun

Definition of gruntnext
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

grunt

2 of 2

verb

ˈgrənt How to pronounce grunt (audio)
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
Noun
All this grunt enables the Silverado 3500HD and Sierra 3500HD to hit a max tow rating of 38,000 pounds. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 24 Sep. 2026 Still, the constant death against even low-level grunt enemies, let alone fearsome bosses, is annoying and obnoxious. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
The figure concocting this foreign mist of positivity, Sumrall, grunted and frowned through the evening. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026 Blocking and grunting turned into gasping as Roach sacked Bo Nix for a safety, putting his own football life in jeopardy. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunt
  1. grunting
  2. laborer
  3. mutter
  4. muttering
  5. worker
  6. mumble
  7. whisper
  8. murmur
Noun
  • By pulling this string, the locals made an amplified grunting noise similar to that of a jaguar.
    — Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of grunting
Noun
  • The whole system is essentially policed by the Department of Labor to ensure that foreign workers don't undercut domestic laborers.
    — Nina Totenberg, NPR, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Immigrants, especially Chinese laborers who built the transcontinental railway, were mercilessly exploited.
    — Terry Hartle, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of laborer
Verb
  • The only thing left in the field was a distraught college kid, pacing back and forth, muttering to himself, and suffering over what might have been.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The camera then cut to McCarthy, who muttered a profanity in response.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of mutter
Noun
  • From the first take to the last, the scene evolves quite dramatically, and the final take is the one that most closely resembles the scene in the finished episode (though, sadly, Ned’s introductory muttering seems to have been cut for time).
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The opportunity to send a raucous Bell Centre crowd home muttering was there in Game 3.
    — Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of muttering
Noun
  • Civil defense workers and residents in the city of Deir al-Balah searched through the rubble largely using their bare hands.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The company also said that, depending on the application, a single AIR unit could handle workloads equivalent to as many as three workers per shift.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of worker
Verb
  • The teen, bare-chested with unkempt hair under an askew cap, mumbles through a half-hearted apology and refuses to remove his ostentatious sunglasses when asked by the interviewer.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2026
  • My brother looks at the floor, mumbles something, and then shuffles away from the table.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of mumble
Noun
  • Stepping into a pool of mid-afternoon light, Claire Mazza raised her left arm above her head, eyes fixed on the whisper-thin space between her thumb and second finger.
    — Lucy Gellman, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Even as everyone is talking to Jeff at Tribal, there are whispers back and forth, and the only words emerging are Eric and Brady, with a lot of I don’t knows thrown in for good measure.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of whisper
Verb
  • For tiny Tina, loving her food too much can draw out mild aggression and too much excitement, both of which exacerbate her heart murmur.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Muñoz said he's had six surgeries and suffers from diabetes, a heart murmur, neuropathy and high blood pressure.
    — Luzdelia Caballero, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of murmur

Browse Nearby Words

grungy
grunt
grunted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunt. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on grunt

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about grunt

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All