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
Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2025
Between 2011 and 2017, red hinds more often issued courtship grunts.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
Flushing Meadows has become the site of flushed cheeks during the final grand slam tournament of the year, with a confrontation over grunting on Saturday serving up the latest evidence of emotions running hot in New York.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grunt
Noun
Taylor Raddysh signed a two-year, $3 million contract over the summer to add some of those elements, but are the young players vying for a spot on the opposite wing — Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault — ready to simplify their games and embrace the grunt work?
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2025
Between 2011 and 2017, red hinds more often issued courtship grunts.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
But young Fraser barely grunts under the punishment, then puts his shirt back on and goes to see how Julia is doing.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
Flushing Meadows has become the site of flushed cheeks during the final grand slam tournament of the year, with a confrontation over grunting on Saturday serving up the latest evidence of emotions running hot in New York.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunt
Noun
-
This film exposes the harsh contrast between the lives of people who enjoy cutting-edge technology in Silicon Valley and the laborers in the Global South who teach the machines to see.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Finding enough workers to fill open landscaping positions has long been a struggle, even when firms can bring in foreign laborers.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But the other 3%, often muttered by students prospectively examining transfer applications, is distinct.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Your dad mutters for head movement, for cage cutting, for not playing off the back and creating distance.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There is the obvious challenge in terms of the shortfall of workers in industries like agriculture, which could soon lead to food shortages and higher prices, according to the Labor Department.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The lawmakers will urge the administration to support federal workers and prevent a spike in health care costs, which are the reason most Senate Democrats have opposed reopening the government.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
So to this day, 'Borderline's' lyrics are mumbled on SNL.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Oct. 2025
-
At that point, the dad shook his head, mumbled something under his breath, tossed the melon back in the bin, and picked an alternative fruit.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There was nobody around, and the only sound was the whisper of the wind.—
Rosecrans Baldwin,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Castle Hill Inn is said to be haunted by a female ghost, and whispers have been heard and presences have been felt at The Jailhouse Inn, which served its namesake purpose from 1772 to 1986.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The music cuts off, and, gradually, everyone leaves, murmuring about a rave happening not too far away.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Customers in the Dunkin’ have a similar response, murmuring and looking over their shoulders for the Accountant 2 actor.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As in the never-ending parade of ostensibly Christian exorcism movies, religious belief here seems like a superficial excuse for a stock array of supernatural hoodoo — no matter how many times Chalik’s Abuyya pauses the action to mouth some healing doctrine.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
6 Aug. 2025
-
The Bulldogs players began to tap their friends and mouth the quarterback’s name.—
Adam Grosbard,
Orange County Register,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunt. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share