growl

1 of 2

verb

growled; growling; growls

intransitive verb

1
a
: rumble
his stomach growled
b
: to utter a growl
the dog growled at the stranger
2
: to complain angrily

transitive verb

: to utter with a growl : utter angrily

growl

2 of 2

noun

: a deep guttural inarticulate sound

Examples of growl in a Sentence

Verb I could hear a dog growling behind me. My stomach's been growling all morning. “What do you want?” he growled. He's always growling about the government. Noun The dog gave a menacing growl. He answered my question with a growl. We could hear a growl of thunder in the distance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Signs that something is amiss might include growling and other forms of aggression, litter box aversion, and constant scratching or other destructive acts. Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Colman Domingo growls appealingly as some sort of crime boss, but who is his character? Katie Walsh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 My stomach felt empty, every growling pang a sign that my body was mourning the loss of carrying another human, and longed to be filled again. Hetty Lui McKinnon, Bon Appétit, 19 Feb. 2024 Nothing similar is evident here, but Hartley growls in a good-natured way throughout and has the stature to intimidate people even if the action choreography is completely subpar. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2024 The alien symbiote that transforms its host into a beast with sharp teeth, a lashing tongue, and growling voice was first teased in Marvel's Spider-Man; Norman Osborn conducted experimental treatment to save his son Harry from a rare, debilitating disease. Nick Romano, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2023 Hens make a deep growling burrrrr in flight, a sound that carries surprisingly well over the water and one that hunters often reproduce in hopes of attracting attention to their decoy spread. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Feb. 2024 The dog began to growl at Hadley as the rescuer drew near. Cathy Free, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2024 His voice would sound pretty mighty growling that chorus. Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2024
Noun
The inked fighter with the nasty growl is in no mood to die. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 Han Solo Chewbacca's gentle growl questioning Han's (Harrison Ford) decision to abandon the Rebels in Episode IV speaks volumes about loyalty. Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Perhaps my favorite noisy aquarium fish are the Synodontis catfishes, which produce a rasping sound that resembles a growl that can easily be heard outside their aquarium during territorial disputes. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Over the Cat’s growl, Switalski asked Cahill to stick a willow here, to loosen the soil there, to leave this sapling but uproot that one. Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024 Giamatti's curmudgeonly growl is the ideal instrument for Mr. Hunham, a teacher whose own passion for history can not outweigh the bitterness of a life littered with broken dreams. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2023 The energy between Foster (whose raspy growl is a perfect fit for an antisocial, my-way-or-the-highway veteran cop) and Reis (a former boxer with screen presence to spare) crackles throughout. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2024 By the late ’90s, MacGowan had begun to look alarmingly ravaged even by his standards, missing most of his teeth and speaking in a nearly incomprehensible growl. Andrew Barker, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023 Canvasbacks aren’t especially boisterous ducks, with the drakes making a low, rolling growl, sometimes described as a croak, and the hens a softer mallard-like quack. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'growl.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English groulen, grollen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1715, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of growl was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near growl

Cite this Entry

“Growl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/growl. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

growl

verb
ˈgrau̇(ə)l
1
b
: to utter a deep threatening sound
the dog growled
2
growl noun
growler
ˈgrau̇-lər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on growl

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