as in muttered
to speak softly and unclearly
was so absorbed with the video game that when asked what he wanted for dinner, he just grunted
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Recent Examples of grunted
As the group hopped and grunted, Keuilian strode through the room with a video crew, shooting a Squire promo (two takes).
—
Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
There, the former Dodgers star again grunted (and cursed) loudly a few times while impressing onlookers with his command and movement.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Phelan grunted as his rod bowed.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 25 Jan. 2026
Larkin grunted and said nothing.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
Marcela grunted into her glass.
—Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
Ohtani grunted his way through the trouble, emptying the tank to keep a zero on the board.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Then language itself breaks apart into letters and sounds, grunted like cavemen incanting around a campfire.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2024
Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
There, the former Dodgers star again grunted (and cursed) loudly a few times while impressing onlookers with his command and movement.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Phelan grunted as his rod bowed.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 25 Jan. 2026
Larkin grunted and said nothing.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
Marcela grunted into her glass.
—Zuzana Říhová, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
Ohtani grunted his way through the trouble, emptying the tank to keep a zero on the board.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Then language itself breaks apart into letters and sounds, grunted like cavemen incanting around a campfire.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunted
Verb
-
In the shadows of the long-hut, the elders muttered among themselves—of portents and crops and weather and the storage of grain.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
As for one consistent complaint heard muttered amid bleary-eyed guests of the former Standard, Schrager confirms the appropriate adjustments have been made.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Claiborne mumbled his responses to questions.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
The crowd mumbled and shifted as the sinker came slicing downward at impossible speed, arms and legs pinned tight, chin tucked under a matte black helmet.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
True to form, the Boards of Canada resurrection has murmured to life so quietly that only the most obsessive of code breakers twigged it early on.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Ludwig murmured, the mist outside the window mostly covering the mountain.—
Kendra Atleework,
Longreads,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunted. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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