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
Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
At its nadir, when Rayya is gobbling morphine pills and shooting cocaine and snarling at hospice nurses, Gilbert begins questioning the nature of existence.
—Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
The wolf was quite literally at the door of the blue house on Highway 49 in Sierra County, tearing apart an elk on the front porch as the college-age son of the owner sat alone inside, listening to the thumps and snarls and hoping the latch was secure.
—Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for snarl
Verb
For the privileged few, a cool $27,000 can pay for a gourmet cuisine just yards from F1 cars snarling past.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
At its nadir, when Rayya is gobbling morphine pills and shooting cocaine and snarling at hospice nurses, Gilbert begins questioning the nature of existence.
—Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Traffic snarls in the Brickell area are nothing new.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
The wolf was quite literally at the door of the blue house on Highway 49 in Sierra County, tearing apart an elk on the front porch as the college-age son of the owner sat alone inside, listening to the thumps and snarls and hoping the latch was secure.
—Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for snarl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snarl
Noun
-
If fries aren’t your jam, all four meat options — chicken, lamb, steak and falafel — are available as a standard gyro wrapped in a pita bread or as a platter with rice.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
That roster includes dishes like foie gras truffle with charred onion jam and a house croissant; a wild boar belly and antelope with pistachio, fermented harissa, and yogurt; and an Asian pear sorbet with aloe sabayon and ginger tapioca.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Despite being given an injection of serum rushed from state laboratories in Albany, a bronchoscopy procedure to clear the congestion in his lungs, and three blood transfusions, Wallace passed away a few days later, with his wife and two young children at his bedside.—
Alan Lightman
September 12,
Literary Hub,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Even mild asthma exacerbations such as coughing or congestion can disrupt a child’s and family’s daily routines.—
Rhonda Conner-Warren,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Snarl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snarl. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share