grunt 1 of 2

Definition of gruntnext
1
as in grunting
speech that is not clear enough to be understood preoccupied with what he was doing, the mechanic gave only a grunt when I asked when the car would be ready

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2
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work we have an opening in the warehouse if you don't mind doing grunt work

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grunt

2 of 2

verb

as in to mutter
to speak softly and unclearly was so absorbed with the video game that when asked what he wanted for dinner, he just grunted

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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 grunt
Noun
Teal'c takes out some frustrations on an unlucky grunt who bangs him with a door at the start of every time loop, and O'Neill gets to (temporarily) sample the will-they side of his will-they-won't-they relationship with Carter. Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026 The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reported that the family also experienced foul odors and heard pig grunts in the home. Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
Immediately as Silva got out of his SUV, he was shot in the hand and soon after in the head, grunting and groaning in pain as blood spatter suddenly appeared on his uniform sleeve. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026 There, the former Dodgers star again grunted (and cursed) loudly a few times while impressing onlookers with his command and movement. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunt
Noun
  • By pulling this string, the locals made an amplified grunting noise similar to that of a jaguar.
    Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Many were Indigenous seasonal laborers who came from poor, remote mountain villages with low vaccination rates.
    Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 17 May 2026
  • Officials with the City of McDonough on Friday identified the man as Naquavious Brazil, 22, who worked as a laborer for the county’s DOT.
    Reed Williams, AJC.com, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Across the game, the crowd raged with injustice and annoyance at a refereeing performance Bayern supporters will mutter about for years.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • The opportunity to send a raucous Bell Centre crowd home muttering was there in Game 3.
    Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • An afternoon stroll with Oscar (Diego Calva), who begins as Arlo’s social worker and becomes Peter’s love interest, is invitingly honey-colored in the sunlight, while a druggy nightclub hookup devolves into a dreamy blur of body parts.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2026
  • Others are alive with the sound of hammers and saws, as workers frame new construction.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • In the video, Peters is seen taking a swig of an unknown substance and then subsequently starting to mumble, sway and close his eyes as the camera panned away.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
  • At last, Henley mumbled something.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • In a world where most conversations take the form of cautious whispers, information degrades quickly.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 13 May 2026
  • With a whisper of mineral notes, Ford’s was a bracingly hefty gin with impressive structure.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • His teammates murmur in agreement.
    Natalie Escobar, NPR, 12 May 2026
  • But many questions went unanswered, frustrating many murmuring and grumbling attendees.
    Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunt. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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