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
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
China holds Tibet without noticeable bother, commits crimes against its Uyghur Muslim minority with impunity, launches acts of aggression against its neighbors in the South China Sea, and growls off any court or tribunal that looks askance—which few do.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
My father was a lump under the covers, snoring a thick growl.
—Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for growl
Verb
But the innocent visit turns ugly when Alice keeps growling at a wall.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
China holds Tibet without noticeable bother, commits crimes against its Uyghur Muslim minority with impunity, launches acts of aggression against its neighbors in the South China Sea, and growls off any court or tribunal that looks askance—which few do.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
In the German Colony neighborhood, where my family lives, the constant, low growl of fighter jets has become a kind of white noise.
—Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
My father was a lump under the covers, snoring a thick growl.
—Literary Hub, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for growl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growl
Verb
-
Landlords also complained some tenants took advantage of the moratorium to live rent free.—
Michael Casey,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
-
Local Republicans including unsuccessful mayoral candidate Sharon Beloin-Saavedra urged angry parents to turn out at a council meeting to complain, and there have been extensive Facebook discussions condemning the city budget.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The Mets then roared back, clinched a playoff berth and won two postseason series before pushing the Los Angeles Dodgers to six games and ultimately falling in the NLCS.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
But even as the crowd roared and Golden Tempo had no one blocking his path, there were still 11 horses ahead of him.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Inside the nearly empty Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA last Monday afternoon, the air rumbles and judders and roars like a B-52 engine readying for takeoff.—
Erik Pedersen,
Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The anti-vaccine rhetoric, and the efforts to revise laws and regulations, rumbled along at the state health department, and in the legislature.—
Kerry Sheridan,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With a glare and a snarl and youthful athleticism, the wrong side of history beckons.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
That song’s twangful snarl — wonderfully sung by Clark, a star recording artist in her own right — is a reminder that these insurgents are also preservationists, capable of delivering old-fashioned pleasures to please the purists.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One resident wakes up to a hooded stranger preparing to stab her and silently points them to her sleeping husband rather than scream.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
On the bright side for Smith, he's still getting paid millions to scream into a camera and show up courtside to stir drama.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
All this in an environment where politicians like Jeff Bridges (running for state treasurer who lives in the Cherry Creek school district) whine and snivel about his associates in the teachers’ union not having the funds to effectively teach our kids.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Seattle families deal with this all the time, and the city is packed with indoor options that will keep your crew happy — no need to endure whining.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The score by Joseph Bishara is shivery with chorales that moan like wraiths in the wind.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
On the British side of the Pond, however, no government has dared to do worse things to the BBC than moan about it.—
Max Hastings,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On Tuesday, cameras caught Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing muttering something after looking back at the Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, who was in discomfort after an awkward slide at home plate.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The scent of vinegar fills the set, and a crew member wanders by muttering about dyeing Easter eggs.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growl. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
