as in guttural
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1
as in screaming
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
he was growling about how much work he had to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in roaring
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
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Recent Examples of growling
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
In the clip, the animals tussle on a bed, Moose making playful growling noises as he and Peach play-fight, Moose using his mouth and Peach giving it all with his paws.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
Sometimes animatronic and growling, sometimes staring out dead-eyed, classic and static.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2022
Under this gesturing, growling, fiery sprite of a dude, the team is sturdier, more focused, playing harder, playing smarter.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2021
Getty Images / AndreyPopov) Going to bed with a growling stomach isn’t great, either.
—Lindsey Vickers, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2020
But be mindful of the wind, which can turn Lyon Oaks into a growling beast.
—Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, 7 June 2019
Who can forget the wonder embedded in gifts of ribbon candy, or the crackling fat of the roasted pig that signaled abundance and the passing of years, or the growling hunger of a long winter?
—Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, 25 May 2018
The world's complex environmental issues demand open minds, fresh perspectives, and less growling.
—Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2012
Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Suddenly all of those wolves appeared to pile on one wolf, and the growling and yipping carried for miles in the still, cold air.
—Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
But the innocent visit turns ugly when Alice keeps growling at a wall.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Customers miss the growling revving of gas vehicles with noisy internal combustion engines, the CEO noted.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Bergholm employs some very effective sound design here, giving just a hint of animalistic growling to the kid’s lusty cries.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Expect the never-ending guitar solos and monstrous growling members Phantom Slaughter and Wroth Septentrion are known for—plus one sprawling, 14-minute track featuring Marty Friedman.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Upon entering the foyer, I was greeted by a growling animatronic Chewbacca, playfully adorned with a Christmas hat for the holiday season.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
As Dumars and Byrne, Damon and Affleck are reduced to growling law-enforcement speak, barking into walkie-talkies and carrying out every conversation while at least one hand rests on an automatic weapon—just in case someone bursts through the wall.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Any growling or negative reactions shouldn’t be punished, as the dog is just showing their unhappiness.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
In the clip, the animals tussle on a bed, Moose making playful growling noises as he and Peach play-fight, Moose using his mouth and Peach giving it all with his paws.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
Sometimes animatronic and growling, sometimes staring out dead-eyed, classic and static.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2022
Under this gesturing, growling, fiery sprite of a dude, the team is sturdier, more focused, playing harder, playing smarter.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2021
Getty Images / AndreyPopov) Going to bed with a growling stomach isn’t great, either.
—Lindsey Vickers, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2020
But be mindful of the wind, which can turn Lyon Oaks into a growling beast.
—Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, 7 June 2019
Who can forget the wonder embedded in gifts of ribbon candy, or the crackling fat of the roasted pig that signaled abundance and the passing of years, or the growling hunger of a long winter?
—Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, 25 May 2018
The world's complex environmental issues demand open minds, fresh perspectives, and less growling.
—Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2012
Verb
Gutty, gritty, growling, great, great win.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Suddenly all of those wolves appeared to pile on one wolf, and the growling and yipping carried for miles in the still, cold air.
—Frank Glaser, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2026
But the innocent visit turns ugly when Alice keeps growling at a wall.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Customers miss the growling revving of gas vehicles with noisy internal combustion engines, the CEO noted.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Bergholm employs some very effective sound design here, giving just a hint of animalistic growling to the kid’s lusty cries.
—Catherine Bray, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Expect the never-ending guitar solos and monstrous growling members Phantom Slaughter and Wroth Septentrion are known for—plus one sprawling, 14-minute track featuring Marty Friedman.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 13 Feb. 2026
Upon entering the foyer, I was greeted by a growling animatronic Chewbacca, playfully adorned with a Christmas hat for the holiday season.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
As Dumars and Byrne, Damon and Affleck are reduced to growling law-enforcement speak, barking into walkie-talkies and carrying out every conversation while at least one hand rests on an automatic weapon—just in case someone bursts through the wall.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growling
Adjective
-
Shadows and strange sounds can set imaginations whirring—from the guttural roar of a hunting lion to the giggling calls of a feasting hyena pack.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Everyone has their own lifting style — some channel anger and let out a guttural yell before touching the bar, others are into showmanship and encourage the crowd’s applause — but mine, while focused, is all smiles.—
Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Richter’s grand slam Tuesday against Tinley Park ended with plenty of screaming and high-fives at home plate.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Any passengers not knocked out during the chaos or sucked out into the sky are generally screaming and grabbing for oxygen masks while Captain Rich makes a futile announcement about the importance of not panicking.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What’s left is less of a roaring action flick and more of a recurring nostalgic flicker.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The Timberwolves fed off the roaring crowd at every turn and consistently made up for their missing offense with hustle and desire.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Apple works at this vertiginous juncture where Emily Dickinson goes rumbling into Etta James and, lately, Beyoncé; where Nico solves puzzles with Randy Newman, Kurt Weill, Nina Simone and the Beatles.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Universal made good use of the rumbling theater seats during action sequences even if the 180-degree wraparound nature of the theater was underutilized.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His usually peppy voice is hoarse.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The quality of a live show, especially one from a legacy band like Journey, comes down to whether the fans leave satisfied: If diehards and casuals alike walk out of the building with grins and hoarse voices from singing along to the big numbers, that’s a successful outing.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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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The dog-waste donnybrook was similar to another recent clash in Brooklyn that saw a 75-year-old grandmother jumped and beaten for complaining that a dog walker was not cleaning up the pooch’s poop.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And, seriously, what was up with that growly Batman voice?—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
-
And Davis’s integrity puts him at odds with his longtime fence, Money (Nick Nolte, nice and growly as ever), who responds by enlisting the services of Ormon (Barry Keoghan), a platinum-blond thug on a motorcycle.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
On the other end, the Rockets were a complete mess, dissolving in two whining technical fouls in the third quarter that sealed their fate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Growling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growling. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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