as in frowning
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as in glaring
to look with anger or disapproval
scowled down at the misbehaving child
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Recent Examples of scowling
Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 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
Then there was that image circulating in the bowels of the internet that showed a man who looked exactly like JD scowling at an unidentifiable brunette woman in a restaurant.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Grejo sank scowling back into his chair as though stung by Adi’s answer.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Their head coach, Curt Cignetti, perpetually scowling beneath his 1950s crew cut, is fuel for countless memes.
—Keith O’Brien, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Part of me believes that, if Indiana wins, Cignetti should retire after this season and spend the rest of his life on a beach, scowling at resort attendants and being basically unimpeachable forever.
—Will Leitch, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Picture Andy Warhol scowling in the corner of the billiards room.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Now our favorite scowling friend is getting his own movie, too.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
My sister was scowling and pacing the path outside my mother’s flat.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 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
Then there was that image circulating in the bowels of the internet that showed a man who looked exactly like JD scowling at an unidentifiable brunette woman in a restaurant.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Grejo sank scowling back into his chair as though stung by Adi’s answer.
—Jonathan Miles, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Their head coach, Curt Cignetti, perpetually scowling beneath his 1950s crew cut, is fuel for countless memes.
—Keith O’Brien, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Part of me believes that, if Indiana wins, Cignetti should retire after this season and spend the rest of his life on a beach, scowling at resort attendants and being basically unimpeachable forever.
—Will Leitch, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Picture Andy Warhol scowling in the corner of the billiards room.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Now our favorite scowling friend is getting his own movie, too.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 15 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scowling
Verb
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Rick Bayless, the James Beard Award-winning chef whose family foundation made the gift, said the project fills a glaring gap in Chicago’s cultural landscape.—
Eva Remijan-Toba,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
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Austin Reaves, a glaring missing piece in the series opener, bounced back with a playoff career-high 31 points, but that wasn’t nearly enough for the Lakers to overcome their 21 turnovers in a 125-107 defeat.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Verb
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So, sometimes silence and solitude is necessary, and just like sitting on a plane watching nothing, doing nothing, just staring blankly at … it's called raw-dogging a flight.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
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According to the criminal complaint in that case, a woman at a coffee shop drive-thru reported seeing a man, later identified as Trepanier, at the back of the building with his pants down and masturbating while staring at her.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Woods, 50, is seen frowning in the photo, taken shortly after the legendary golfer was booked into jail on March 27 after his Land Rover rolled over in Jupiter Island, Florida.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
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Hubbard posted an image of herself with a disgusted look on her face from earlier in Season 10, while Dillard shared a photo of himself frowning, also from a scene in the show.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scowling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scowling. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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