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Glite Dictionary
🐶 A deep sound 🐶 To make a deep sound
to growl

to growl

76 2.2
To make a low, deep sound to warn or show anger
  • verb
  • /ɡraʊl/
translation icon : gruñir
  • Papa Bear began clenching his fists and growling deep in his throat.
  • growl like a dog

Not like growl like an animal does, but growl like you're almost angry.

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Examples

  • His lips drew back against his sand-yellow teeth; he growled something inaudible and turned away.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • And if he growls at us again, I'm gonna muzzle him myself.

    The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006)

  • And it is like, I'm not going to lie, it's scary when you hear a big dog growl at your small little dog.

  • With its tail between its legs, the dog growled and ran over to the ambulance.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The animal backed off, still growling, and returned to the back of the cottage.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The man got out, opened the hatch, growled something unintelligible, and then handed me my bag.

    Academic text (2017)

  • "So what the hell is this Tugar business?" Tobias growled from the other end of the table.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • And my dog growled, the dog growled, Molly growled, and that almost never happens.

  • "Oh, never mind!" the Baron growled in disgust, lifting the cane so that Gideon could rise.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The dog started to growl when it saw the stranger approaching its territory.

Synonyms

to grunt
vsto growl
355 4.2

To make a short low sound to show effort, pain, or dislike

is a longer deeper rough sound used as an angry or warning signal
to rumble
vsto growl
  • Literature
84 2.5

To make a low, deep, continuous sound

is a rough angry warning sound rather than a continuous background noise
to grumble
vsto growl
7 3.7

To make a long low sound like distant thunder

is a clear rough warning sound rather than an indistinct ongoing noise
to harrumph
vsto growl
  • Archaic
1 9.8

To clear your throat with a short gruff sound to show annoyance or disapproval

is a lower deep warning expressing anger rather than a throat clearing signal
to gruff
vsto growl
6.4

To speak in a rough, low voice that sounds unfriendly

is a single low rough sound that warns or shows anger rather than rough speech

How Threatening

to roar
31 2.7
snarl
9 4.9
to growl
76 2.2
to grumble
41 3.7
to murmur
11 4.2

Surface Forms

growl infinitive
growled past
growled past participle
growling present participle
growls third person singular

Etymology

Growl was formed by copying the low sound animals make and comes from old Germanic words that did the same. So to growl is to make a 'low, deep, rough sound', often to show anger or warn someone.