gnarlier; gnarliest
1
: gnarled
gnarly branches
2
slang
: very bad: such as
a
: very difficult or challenging to deal with
a gnarly [=thorny, knotty] problem
gnarly conditions
Having … skidded around gnarly hairpin turns … , the two bikers pedaled furiously for the finish.—
Austin Murphy
Austin Murphy
b
: nasty, unpleasant
"This guy has some pretty gnarly karma coming …"—Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
c
: arousing disgust or distaste : gross
A cute toe polish can't save gnarly, callused soles.—Jessica R. White
Jessica R. White" … It'll be kind of a gruesome death. You know, its fur will start falling out, it'll develop gnarly sores all over its body. … "—David Randall
David Randall3
slang
: cool, excellent
After initially wiping out on the left wave, [Filipe] Toledo responded with a gnarly air reverse on the right and was rewarded with a 9.27.—Hanford Sentinel
Hanford Sentinel
especially
: having a pleasingly or impressively rugged or rough quality
He played in the NFL, but then got bored with football and became a FBI agent. He was a gnarly dude. —Reece Kelley Graham
Reece Kelley Graham And yet [Mark] Knopfler built a reputation as an intensely creative virtuoso (not to mention an ace songwriter), showing remarkable command over a range of tones and textures—from the gnarly distortion on hit single "Money for Nothing" to the stinging precision of "Tunnel of Love." —Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone Examples of gnarly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Joey King is recovering from a gnarly kitchen accident.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Jan. 2025
But these gnarly thrills are offset by impoverished characterizations.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025
With no phone service to contact the outside world, the family is stuck there, sheltering from the predator outside as Blake’s gnarly physical transformation progresses right in front of them.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
Once a group of gnarly dependents, this fanbase now has well-paying jobs and credit cards, and through these, not only an insatiable hunger for the seemingly endless content produced by gaming companies but the bankroll to finance it all.
—Gary Denham, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
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Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Jan. 2025
But these gnarly thrills are offset by impoverished characterizations.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025
With no phone service to contact the outside world, the family is stuck there, sheltering from the predator outside as Blake’s gnarly physical transformation progresses right in front of them.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
Once a group of gnarly dependents, this fanbase now has well-paying jobs and credit cards, and through these, not only an insatiable hunger for the seemingly endless content produced by gaming companies but the bankroll to finance it all.
—Gary Denham, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gnarly
Dictionary Entries Near gnarly
Cite this Entry
“Gnarly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnarly. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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