as in grimace
a twisting of the facial features in disgust or disapproval
the man across the street never seems to wear anything but a scowl
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in glaring
to look with anger or disapproval
scowled down at the misbehaving child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in frowning
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scowling
John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
Rossini has replaced disdain with dedication and swapped out scowls for smiles.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
Editors’ Picks Fired Federal Worker Flirts on Finch Mr. Trump scowled when one of Mr. Ramaphosa’s aides, a Black woman, tried to explain that brutal crimes in general are a problem in South Africa.
—Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for scowling
Verb
The most unforgettable image for me was Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance, who looked on intently as the bishop spoke, ignoring her husband’s angry scowl.
—John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
Rossini has replaced disdain with dedication and swapped out scowls for smiles.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
Verb
Smash-cut to: a scowling woman leaving a police station in a black minidress and the telltale thick eyeliner smudge of A Woman Who Doesn’t Have Her Life Together.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 22 May 2025
Editors’ Picks Fired Federal Worker Flirts on Finch Mr. Trump scowled when one of Mr. Ramaphosa’s aides, a Black woman, tried to explain that brutal crimes in general are a problem in South Africa.
—Zolan Kanno-Youngs, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for scowling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scowling
Noun
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Even though the couple filmed the skit after class to be respectful of the other participants, the sweat and grimaces weren’t just for show.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
9 June 2025
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At one point, Hunt emerges onto London’s Trafalgar Square and grimaces at the sight of a massive protest.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
14 May 2025
Noun
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The muscles around his eyes darted inward, and a frown overtook his face.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
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Beantown frowns at each breaking news sounder on talk radio or ESPN insider post on social media.—
Bill Speros,
Boston Herald,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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This device solves some of the most glaring problems with Samsung's foldables, featuring a new, slimmer design and a big camera upgrade.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
31 July 2025
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The Red Sox could trade from that depth to address a more glaring need.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scowling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scowling. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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