as in frown
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval
the man across the street never seems to wear anything but a scowl
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scowl
Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
She's got a scowl on her face as Marfisee and her students approach.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 Jan. 2026
Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 25 Feb. 2026
He was picked up first on meth charges on May 14, 1986, according to news reports and a San Francisco police booking photo, which shows him in a blue hoodie scowling into the camera.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scowl
Noun
His fierce disposition in competition — the scowl, the pumping of fists and the guttural yells after big plays — came in stark contrast to his off-court good nature and broad grins.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
She's got a scowl on her face as Marfisee and her students approach.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
Those that attended mostly sat and scowled.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 25 Feb. 2026
He was picked up first on meth charges on May 14, 1986, according to news reports and a San Francisco police booking photo, which shows him in a blue hoodie scowling into the camera.
—Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scowl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scowl
Noun
-
The Spaniard left hurriedly, carrying a frown that owed to a sense of injustice.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
Greg’s smile, contrasted with the frowns and thumbs-down from the rest of the crew, makes for an entertaining visual.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Soto’s glaring 15-year contract aside, Stearns has not signed any player to a deal longer than three years.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
The contradiction is especially glaring given the growing focus on chronic disease, obesity, and declining health outcomes among American children.—
Sam Raus,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
And Ahmed, with his fearful eyes and tense grimace, makes for a compellingly sad and isolated figure.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Charlie Lindgren’s grimace was evident behind his mask.—
Bailey Johnson,
Washington Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Sure, there are probably supermodels, sports stars, and famous actors in your midst (don’t stare).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
An elderly man offered a smirk for his mugshot after being arrested in a caught-on-camera hit-and-run involving a cyclist group.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
-
The prospect of doing it again with even larger stakes brought an excited smirk to Smart’s face.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scowl. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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