as in muttering
speech that is not clear enough to be understood
says he talks in his sleep, but really it's just snorts and grunting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in mumbling
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
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Recent Examples of grunting
Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2025
There are up to 20,000 rabid people raining down their emotions from all angles, a dozen sticks clattering, two dozen skates carving, all those burly bodies bumping into each other and banging into the boards, plus an endless stream of screaming and grunting and cursing.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
The red hind grouper (Epinephelus guttatus) is big on grunting.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 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
Tim Allen's grunting tool man led one of the '90s most popular sitcoms.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025
The elephant is now decidedly less friendly, and is doing far more than twitching and grunting.
—Stephen Maher, TIME, 15 Feb. 2025
Yesterday Re complaints about her grunting--go make those complaints on the men's side of the arena, please, and stop policing women's behavior.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
Chase and Danni go to the master to hook up, and we’re subjected to some late-night sounds of Chase grunting.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
People are well outnumbered by the humpbacks and pods of orcas, bald eagles and herons, seals and sea lions grunting their tone-deaf tunes atop the rocks.
—Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2025
There are up to 20,000 rabid people raining down their emotions from all angles, a dozen sticks clattering, two dozen skates carving, all those burly bodies bumping into each other and banging into the boards, plus an endless stream of screaming and grunting and cursing.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
The red hind grouper (Epinephelus guttatus) is big on grunting.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 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
Tim Allen's grunting tool man led one of the '90s most popular sitcoms.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025
The elephant is now decidedly less friendly, and is doing far more than twitching and grunting.
—Stephen Maher, TIME, 15 Feb. 2025
Yesterday Re complaints about her grunting--go make those complaints on the men's side of the arena, please, and stop policing women's behavior.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
Chase and Danni go to the master to hook up, and we’re subjected to some late-night sounds of Chase grunting.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunting
Verb
-
The volume has gone up again since Ruben Amorim’s recent departure, muttering darkly about Gary Neville’s outside influence in particular.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2026
-
The older lady who was muttering to herself in casting is there.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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So much grunt routes through a trick all-wheel-drive system that actually uses a two-speed gearbox ahead of the engine between the front wheels, in addition to a more traditional eight-speed dual-clutch transaxle routing power to the rears.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Instead, the incessant chatter is employees briefing their agents — commanding personal AI assistants to handle their grunt work and execute tasks.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mustafa said as the man trotted down the stairs, mumbling something—a prayer, a curse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Atlanta police officers responding to the scene found Leon sitting on the ground in handcuffs, acting belligerently and attempting to stand while mumbling.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
To this day, the cooing and mutter of pigeons can lull me into a space of deep enjoyment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
His father trailed him on the ice, murmuring.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Rarely have Hunt’s compositions felt so jittery and full of life as the title track, which blooms from murmuring drones into shimmering bokehs of synth programming.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As whisper listings become more common, discretion has turned into a form of value.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The role Landfair’s family members, including Sparkle, played in fostering her relationship with Kelly, even as whispers of their relationship became screams, is difficult to reckon with.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunting. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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