as in to bark
to speak sharply or irritably
she snarled at me after I kept badgering her with questions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to knot
to twist together into a usually confused mass
you'll be awfully sorry if you snarl your fishing line
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jam
a crowded mass (as of cars) that impedes or blocks movement
to no avail, the city promotes carpooling to help ease the traffic snarls that always accompany rush hour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of snarl
Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 16 Apr. 2025
The demonstration spanned much of the Loop and River North neighborhoods and periodically snarled traffic on several crowded thoroughfares, including DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 27 May 2025
Detroit welcomed the relief, but analysts warn the shifting policy could still drive up prices and snarl supply chains.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for snarl
Verb
The turbulence has resulted in layoffs and staff downsizing, revenue shortfalls, product inventory imbalances, and snarled supply chains.
—Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 16 Apr. 2025
The demonstration spanned much of the Loop and River North neighborhoods and periodically snarled traffic on several crowded thoroughfares, including DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Noun
But in the years immediately before, the coronavirus pandemic reportedly created supply-chain snarls at the fly factory in Panama and disrupted regular cattle inspections that might have set off the alarm bells earlier.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 27 May 2025
Detroit welcomed the relief, but analysts warn the shifting policy could still drive up prices and snarl supply chains.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for snarl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snarl
jam
Noun
-
Amanda Edwards/WireImage Unlike luxury fashion or high-end accessories, where scarcity is often a deliberate strategy to generate buzz, products like jam and wine fall into the realm of everyday indulgences.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
-
Bison jams are not uncommon in Yellowstone, given that the national park has ranged from a population of 3,500 to nearly 6,000 of the animals, according to the National Park Service.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Snarl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snarl. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share