gnarled

1 of 2

adjective

ˈnär(-ə)ld How to pronounce gnarled (audio)
1
: full of knots or gnarls : knotty
gnarled hands
gnarled olive trees
2
: crabbed in disposition, aspect, or character
a gnarled old veteran

gnarled

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of gnarl entry 1, gnarl entry 2

Examples of gnarled in a Sentence

Adjective the old man's gnarled fingers
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Crowley, once a logging camp, can’t be reached by road, but train passengers can wander among picnic tables, fire pits, cornhole games and a massive, gnarled old redwood known as the Wolf Tree. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Terracotta tiles are at his feet; behind him is a gnarled pine tree, arching toward the sea. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026 Swapping dirty fingernails for loose shotgun shells, Abrams carves Bryan from the same gnarled sense of desperation — but gives the character’s spirit a kinder shade overall. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026 The San Francisco 49ers defensive end boasts some of the bulkiest thighs in the NFL — quads that resemble a pair of gnarled, ancient oak stumps. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gnarled

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

probably alteration of knurled

First Known Use

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gnarled was in 1603

Browse Nearby Words

gnarl
gnarled
gnarly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gnarled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnarled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All