1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he was growling about how much work he had to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
Oakey's behavior hilariously mirrors this stereotype, making the comparison all the more entertaining.
Dogs, like Oakey, may growl for a variety of reasons.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2025
Beginning at the very apex of his falsetto, Hawkins tears through his ode to a life-changing love with an impassioned vocal performance that peppers his slight drawl with histrionic growls, effortlessly matching the rousing energy of the track’s instrumentation.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for growl
Verb
Is the relentless trudge through the desert almost over?
Will the Gators soon growl once again?
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
Oakey's behavior hilariously mirrors this stereotype, making the comparison all the more entertaining.
Dogs, like Oakey, may growl for a variety of reasons.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
This fly-on-the-wall music documentary covers it all, from Cyndi Lauper's wail to Bruce Springsteen's growl to the fact that poor Huey Lewis had to follow Michael Jackson.
—Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 11 Jan. 2025
Beginning at the very apex of his falsetto, Hawkins tears through his ode to a life-changing love with an impassioned vocal performance that peppers his slight drawl with histrionic growls, effortlessly matching the rousing energy of the track’s instrumentation.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
Verb
-
Pundits complained last year’s Cannes was a light affair, but that had to do with the bottleneck created by the strikes, for one.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The new plan arrives after many existing Claude subscribers complained of hitting rate limits frequently.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
When my rifle roared, the Phantom crashed to the ground.—
Jeffrey A. Brunk,
Outdoor Life,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Since the storms roared across Kentucky last week, the state has reported five deaths, over 140 water rescues, and thousands of power outages.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Severe thunderstorms will rumble to life Wednesday afternoon in parts of western Oregon and push into western Washington a few hours later.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Mount Spurr, just to the west of the city of Anchorage, is rumbling.—
Erik Klemetti,
Discover Magazine,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Severe storms along the southeast coast Monday have also caused snarls for travelers, with over 6,300 flights within, into, or out of the US delayed Monday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The animals’ golden-brown fur is matted with blood, their muzzles locked in an eternal snarl.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Polley’s Polley ends up (understandably) screaming in frustration when Matt pratfalls his way into the shot, a tantrum the indie director could hardly relate to as someone known for facilitating calm, peaceful productions on intimate character studies.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Footage shared on social media has shown moviegoers screaming, tossing buckets of popcorn in the air and enthusiastically applauding.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Callie hasn’t done much but whine about her suspension and yearn for a more meaningful connection with her mom this season, so a surprise killer role might shake things up for her storyline.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Sun Sentinel Dave Hyde: No need to overanalyze or whine — Heat suffering from Butler’s sabotage The Heat have lost eight straight games in a season gone south since Jimmy Butler quit on them and was traded.—
South Florida Sun Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Ramirez said the detectives had found belongings near the storm drain entrance and heard what sounded like a woman moaning from inside the storm drain.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Others had their heads and arms bandaged and were lined up on stretchers, moaning.—
Sui-Lee Wee,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Victoria barely muttered a word to Kate, who approached the Ratliffs during a meal, making the exchange extra awkward.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Gray muttered at a moderator, pointing at the placard on the postgame table that proudly displayed his name: Hayden Gray.—
Luca Evans,
The Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share