GROWLING Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

growling 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of growling

as in guttural

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Dissimilar Words

growling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of growl

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

as in roaring

to make a long loud deep noise or cry the neighbor's dog growls every time we pass the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rumbling

to make a low heavy rolling sound I'm sorry my stomach is growling, but I'm just really hungry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of growling

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 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

Dogs and cats may be triggered by this distinctive smell and show unusual behavior when skunks are nearby, such as sniffing or pawing the dirt around the burrow or becoming more protective by growling or hovering near the entrance. — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 24 Sep. 2026 Video captured from the drone’s perspective and released on Facebook, shows the frustrated bobcat standing by a staircase, growling and arching its back at the hovering machine. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026 As Koji’s character is thrust into a cage at an underground prison brawl, Momoa’s Blanka can be heard growling off screen. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026 This could include sniffing around more than usual or barking and growling at odd places like piles of leaves. — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 July 2026 Could the growling creature be responsible for the gouges by Zampanò’s dead body? — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 June 2026 The big question is whether people who pay hundreds of thousands of euros for growling gas-guzzlers will also shell out for electric versions. — Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Or any of the Republican gym bros peddling supplements online and growling lifestyle advice into webcams. — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026 At that point, your stomach has probably been growling for a good hour, so answer that call with some tacos at Taqueria Rosita. — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 13 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for growling

Adjective

The Slingshot surges forward as the tach swings toward redline, the exhaust emitting a guttural howl.

— William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Ranging from the sound of emergency sirens and birds screeching to low grunts and guttural hoots, their vocalizations reverberate from a sanctuary in the hot, dry hills of the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles.

— Jaimie Ding, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of guttural

Verb

At an intersection in Hyde Park that, days earlier, had been the scene of chaos — a young girl on the ground, a car with a teenage boy on the windshield, a mother screaming — Jonathan Hale led his band of rebels.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Someone who people think is abrasive and is screaming ‘Love me,’ but punching people at the same time.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of screaming

Verb

By afternoon, the Moon trines Mars in your 5th House and your confidence comes roaring back.

— Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Sofia Wylie’s Grace stands in the middle of the trio, the girl to her right cheering normally and the girl to her left, Lisbeth (Geena Meszaros) roaring animalistically.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of roaring

Verb

Listen closely to the sound design and hear jets continually rumbling to and from LAX.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
And Quentin Collette’s turbulent soundscape — rumbling, clanking, with the unrelenting downpour stirring in elemental fury — mixes seamlessly with the tense synth riffs of French electronic composer Robin Coudert, known professionally as ROB.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of rumbling

Adjective

Now life was like that; some days fine and firm and full of whatever, while other days the hoarse bark of the neighbors’ dog or a friend’s grim diagnosis and her body succumbed to an emotional gravity that pulled her into a free fall.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Singers didn’t want their voices to get hoarse over the long night or week.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hoarse

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

Definition of growly

Verb

While the left spent all week whining about Sophie Cunningham's hat and firing squad best practices, us PATRIOTS were biding our time, keeping our heads down, and grinding towards another weekend.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Dogs may actually improve our sleep habits by forcing us to adjust to consistent bedtime schedules — as anyone with a sleepy, whining dog can confirm.

— Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of whining

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Style

“Growling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growling. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of growling

adjective

verb

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