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
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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 will pose severe health risks, especially for the elderly, outdoor laborers, and those in agriculture.—
Elfatih Eltahir,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Christopher Columbus’s son, Diego Colón, Hispaniola’s governor, granted him an encomienda, or consignment of Indian laborers, on the north coast of the island in the Cibao Valley.—
Greg Grandin
September 23,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 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
-
For those who can already hear the whispers of falling leaves and detect the faint aroma of pumpkin spice, keep scrolling to shop our favorite finds from the launch.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
-
His arrival stirs faint whispers under the Song statues and quietly nudges Hongmei’s buried past toward the surface.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Portugal has been a hotspot for digital nomads, luring foreign remote workers with friendly visa policies, a better quality of life, and a lower cost of living.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Masses of federal workers face going unpaid until funding is restored.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 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 2 Oct. 2025.
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