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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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Elsewhere, Super Mario Galaxy is hardly complaining about coming in second ruling the roost for weeks, since it’s now focused on becoming the first film of the year to join the billion-dollar club after finishing Sunday with a global total of $871 million.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Apr. 2026
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Commenters who never have been — and never will go — complain about the cost, the influencers, the hype.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Spot the Godzilla Head in Kabukicho, which roars and lights up in the evening.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Apr. 2026
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The roaring Snake River meets the cliff, which stretches over 900 feet across the canyon, and drops dramatically into a green pool, often creating a misty rainbow.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Fertilizer stocks — The persisting snarl in shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz drove trading of chemical and fertilizer stocks Monday.—
Christina Cheddar Berk,Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Killing birds, scampering around the crawl space at night, making the local coyotes snarl at Charlie’s SUV… everything Katie does has to be deniable enough for her parents to roll with it, a story choice that defangs Cronin’s ability to let loose.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The score by Joseph Bishara is shivery with chorales that moan like wraiths in the wind.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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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
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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
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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 2 May. 2026.
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