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
Relevance
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
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 grunting
Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Immediately as Silva got out of his SUV, he was shot in the hand and soon after in the head, grunting and groaning in pain as blood spatter suddenly appeared on his uniform sleeve.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Planet Fitness once made a point of banning denim in the gym, along with grunting, dropping dumbbells, and judging others.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Vile — lots of climbing, groping, grabbing, grunting and dirt.
—Linda Perillo, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
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
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
Verb
Once their tray was stuffed with Terry Black’s brisket, pork ribs, dino ribs, sausage and turkey, Heder and Ramirez both carried the tray off the table, grunting.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Immediately as Silva got out of his SUV, he was shot in the hand and soon after in the head, grunting and groaning in pain as blood spatter suddenly appeared on his uniform sleeve.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Planet Fitness once made a point of banning denim in the gym, along with grunting, dropping dumbbells, and judging others.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Vile — lots of climbing, groping, grabbing, grunting and dirt.
—Linda Perillo, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunting
Verb
-
In fact, the director was egging me on, encouraging me to go further with the hunching and muttering.—
Andrew Martin,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Old friend Daniel Vladar was spectacular in making 26 saves, several of which had Morgan Geekie (nine total shots, five on net, two blocked, two misses) muttering to himself.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Bachata played faintly, with plucky notes from the guitar cutting through cows' grunts.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
-
As for grunt, the Zeelander 8 can be equipped with up to four Volvo Penta IPS-1350 engines that afford a top speed of 40 knots, a cruising speed of 32 knots, and a range of 2,700 nautical miles at 7 knots.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The van’s speakers played a high-volume mashup of construction sounds, Jordan Peterson lectures, Marine Corps drills, and mumbling voices.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Jackson allegedly appeared to be in a highly agitated state and was moving erratically and mumbling, police body camera footage shows.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 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
-
Behind every trauma and calamity, whether personal or global, whispers of Jewish machination can be heard by those already listening for them.—
Mike Rothschild,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In this extraordinary moment, we're reminded that wisdom often comes in the smallest whispers, and true courage lies in following where we're led with childlike trust.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunting. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
