growly

adjective

Definition of growlynext
as in guttural

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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 growly Neeson’s a growly delight, while Huston steals most of his scenes. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 30 July 2025 And, seriously, what was up with that growly Batman voice? — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2026 There’s even a ragged guitar solo and some growly vocals that reveal Rivers Cuomo’s heavy-metal roots. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024 So Swims seems to be benefiting from an overall mainstreaming of growly country voices (looking at you, Chris Stapleton and Zach Bryan) and bringing it into the pop space. — Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2024 And Davis’s integrity puts him at odds with his longtime fence, Money (Nick Nolte, nice and growly as ever), who responds by enlisting the services of Ormon (Barry Keoghan), a platinum-blond thug on a motorcycle. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growly
  1. guttural
  2. gravelly
  3. gruff
  4. raspy
  5. throaty
  6. growling
  7. hoarse
  8. husky
Adjective
  • Exploding The Weeknd’s shivery lust with the guttural churn of Deftones, this is toxic codependency music, the perfect soundtrack for Obsession if the movie were more tasteless.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026
  • Out comes a guttural groan, her exertion a tight whip cracking open a black hole of pain.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
Definition of guttural
Adjective
  • This Mediterranean herb likes the heat but not the humidity, so make certain to plant it in full sun in sandy or gravelly soil.
    — Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 25 June 2026
  • His voice, including its gravelly quality and thick Cockney accent, was replicated with his permission through a deal with ElevenLabs, which licenses AI versions of artists’ voices.
    — Angela Yang, NBC news, 23 June 2026
Definition of gravelly
Adjective
  • Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
  • But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • The prize, which was auctioned off by Odenkirk, who assumed the role of a hypeman in a top hat and spoke in a raspy voice, included an autographed script of the highest bidder’s favorite episode and an invitation to a live reading of the show for up to three guests.
    — Charlie Vargas, Daily News, 8 May 2026
  • My range is so reduced, and the quality of my voice is raspy.
    — Nina Agrawal, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of raspy
Adjective
  • Boz is at a photo shoot, giving her best smile and her throatiest laugh.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
  • The instrumentation on the album is a gleaming and impenetrable expanse, and the main attraction is Lipa, whose voice is strong and occasionally throaty.
    — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 3 May 2024
Definition of throaty
Adjective
  • Any growling or negative reactions shouldn’t be punished, as the dog is just showing their unhappiness.
    — Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
  • Sometimes animatronic and growling, sometimes staring out dead-eyed, classic and static.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2022
Definition of growling
Adjective
  • The other was a tearing beauty, a creature so lovely that one look at her sent young men’s blood pressure skyward and set them to uttering wild, hoarse cries and tearing telephone directories apart with the bare hands.
    — John Madson, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026
  • Others walked home sunburned, hoarse and still dressed in blue and orange.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026
Definition of hoarse
Adjective
  • This husky-border collie mix is one of Pebbles' seven new pet siblings.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
  • Bob Cary, tall and husky outdoor editor of the Chicago Daily News, was there with his family, staying at the lake’s only resort, where Vera and I also were staying.
    — Hank Bradshaw, Outdoor Life, 24 June 2026
Definition of husky

Browse Nearby Words

growls
growly
grown
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Cite this Entry

“Growly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growly. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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