1
as in murmurs
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 laborers
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 mutters
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.
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Recent Examples of grunts
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
Stryker grunts, wanting this to never end.
—Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
Still quieter than the music playing and the grunts of the adults flopping, the yelling of Tap and You okay?
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Between 2011 and 2017, red hinds more often issued courtship grunts.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported that the family also experienced foul odors and heard pig grunts in the home.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
There are layers of grunts and bangs; there is an increasingly insistent electronic score by Steve Jablonsky and, loudest of all, there are numerous ’70s needle drops that fully exploit the melodrama of prog rock.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
During the day, fans can meander in and out of matches, keyed by the soundtrack of fervent applause in a close match, of grunts and skidding sneakers just a few feet away.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Off somewhere, bull baboons are raising their woofing grunts again.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
So the grunts up front are succeeding, but the running backs are failing?
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
Stryker grunts, wanting this to never end.
—Ted Katauskas, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
Still quieter than the music playing and the grunts of the adults flopping, the yelling of Tap and You okay?
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Between 2011 and 2017, red hinds more often issued courtship grunts.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported that the family also experienced foul odors and heard pig grunts in the home.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
There are layers of grunts and bangs; there is an increasingly insistent electronic score by Steve Jablonsky and, loudest of all, there are numerous ’70s needle drops that fully exploit the melodrama of prog rock.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
During the day, fans can meander in and out of matches, keyed by the soundtrack of fervent applause in a close match, of grunts and skidding sneakers just a few feet away.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Off somewhere, bull baboons are raising their woofing grunts again.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunts
Noun
-
Moving forward, there are murmurs of those being stripped of titles and losing certain privileges.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The narratives have started to run rampant leading up to the conclusion of the MLB season, and especially with the Dodgers' league-leading payroll and murmurs of an MLB lockout in 2027, one that has begun gaining traction, is that the Dodgers are Goliath and the Blue Jays are David.—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The moment, captured from inside the house through a window, shows the unsuspecting laborers standing in the trench as the canine drops the toy directly into their workspace.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Tucked into the trees of San Jose’s History Park, the museum is home to historical photos and artifacts that tell the story of early Chinese immigrants who settled in the Santa Clara Valley, working as ranchers, laborers and builders on the Transcontinental Railroad.—
Sophie Luo,
Mercury News,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
The yawning gap between data-center expenditures and the rest of the economy has caused whispers of bubble to rise to a chorus.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
30 Oct. 2025
-
There was affairs and divorces and whispers and gossip, all the stuff that makes good bands break up.—
Alan Light,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The hub employs thousands of workers, has 300 daily flights and sorts more than 400,000 packages an hour.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Liebman says Gen Z and young millennial workers are also returning to the city for proximity to opportunity.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
From the first moment, the vibe is off, as Brady looks earnestly at Rooney, the England legend mumbles and gives vague answers.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grunts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunts. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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