growl 1 of 2

verb

ˈgrau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce growl (audio)
Definition of growlnext
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely he was growling about how much work he had to do

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to roar
to make a long loud deep noise or cry the neighbor's dog growls every time we pass the house

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to rumble
to make a low heavy rolling sound I'm sorry my stomach is growling, but I'm just really hungry

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growl

2 of 2

noun

as in snarl

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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 growl
Verb
At that point, your stomach has probably been growling for a good hour, so answer that call with some tacos at Taqueria Rosita. — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 13 May 2026 Or any of the Republican gym bros peddling supplements online and growling lifestyle advice into webcams. — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026
Noun
While the officer's body camera was not recording audio at the time the shots were fired, Schielke said her clients never heard the dog bark or growl. — Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 9 June 2026 Acceleration is also accomplished with a throaty growl. — James Raia, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
  1. complain
  2. roar
  3. rumble
  4. snarl
  5. scream
  6. whine
  7. moan
  8. mutter
Verb
  • Also requested were documents related to a lawsuit, recently settled for $135,000, claiming Kramer had given an improper assessment of a property and retaliated against an employee who complained.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Gal and Amora barely know each other, and Jaiden and Caleb have been complaining about one another for the past three days.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • San Francisco serves as a prime example of how the roaring AI industry is helping drive economic growth more broadly, but masking the economic inequality of lower-and-middle-income families.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • Hale pointed toward the sky and urged them to look up as three military jets roared above the crowd.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of roar
Verb
  • This ground beef casserole will satisfy all the rumbling stomachs at your table.
    — Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • The engine rumbles between your legs, the road streams beneath you, the curves beckon you onward.
    — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of rumble
Noun
  • Downtown traffic is a snarl and parking isn’t easy even on routine days.
    — Howard Cohen June 24, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
  • Multiple inbound lanes are blocked as a result, causing a massive traffic snarl and backup.
    — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Definition of snarl
Verb
  • Police said that after the girl screamed, the video shows a man getting into his vehicle and driving away.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • The couple’s relationship began with a friendship bracelet and a podcast shout-out in July 2023, and by September Swift was screaming profanities in support of her new favorite football player.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 30 June 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • And that’s nothing to whine about.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 June 2026
  • Jessie whines about the good old days all the time — how fun is that?
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Definition of whine
Verb
  • The call lasted for 12 excruciating minutes, as Adams moaned in pain.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026
  • Witnesses who observed those executions later shared unnerving, and, at times, horrific, accounts of inmates thrashing, moaning, or otherwise appearing to show signs of suffering after the nitrogen gas began to flow.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 11 June 2026
Definition of moan
Verb
  • Bat met ball and, under his breath, Astros manager Joe Espada muttered an expletive.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 29 June 2026
  • In the shadows of the long-hut, the elders muttered among themselves—of portents and crops and weather and the storage of grain.
    — Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
Definition of mutter

Browse Nearby Words

growing up
growl
growled
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Cite this Entry

“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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