gnarled
adjective
Examples of gnarled in a Sentence
Rory Smith, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
The gnarled skin, slippery pit, and inherent awkwardness of wielding a knife around an uneven surface make avocados a uniquely risky fruit to hack into, especially for newbies.
—Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 4 Mar. 2024
Under the canopy of the enormous olive tree that shades his home, Daniel Gerwin’s 11-year-old son ascends the tree’s gnarled trunk like an expert climber while his brother, 7, reads a book a few feet away inside the house.
—Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024
Guards paced dirt roads, batons in hand, and spat out commands under the gnarled trees.
—Keren Blankfeld, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024
The archway at the entrance to the neighborhood had been demolished; the gnarled hull of a black car sat nearby.
—Hiba Yazbek, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023
But its most valuable assets are its natural treasures, like Driftwood Beach, where ancient, gnarled trees sprout from the sand like grand monuments.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2023
The key to the enduring power of the Pogues’ cover lies in MacGowan’s gnarled delivery.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2023
Naturally, there is a hand: a gnarled, green claw that emerges from the depths of the closet, like a ghost of the past reaching into the present.
—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gnarled.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
probably alteration of knurled
1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near gnarled
Cite this Entry
“Gnarled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnarled. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on gnarled
Nglish: Translation of gnarled for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of gnarled for Arabic Speakers
Share