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
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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
-
The menu circles the room to appreciative murmurs.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
In the past, doctors were probably better at listening to heart murmurs, or at feeling the liver.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
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
-
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
-
When cornerback Jalen Ramsey was still with the team, there were whispers around the facility that Ramsey and wide receiver Tyreek Hill were taking advantage of the freedoms they were given.—
Greg Liodice,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 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
Noun
-
The airport has put out green donation bins accepting nonperishable food and personal care items for unpaid federal airport workers, according to a social media post from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
21 Oct. 2025
-
By law, federal workers are supposed to receive back pay once the shutdown ends, but the White House has attempted to cast doubt on that, NPR's Scott Horsley tells Up First.—
NPR,
NPR,
21 Oct. 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 22 Oct. 2025.
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