growly

adjective

Definition of growlynext
as in guttural

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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 growly 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 Neeson’s a growly delight, while Huston steals most of his scenes. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 30 July 2025 There’s even a ragged guitar solo and some growly vocals that reveal Rivers Cuomo’s heavy-metal roots. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024 So Swims seems to be benefiting from an overall mainstreaming of growly country voices (looking at you, Chris Stapleton and Zach Bryan) and bringing it into the pop space. — Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for growly
  1. guttural
  2. gravelly
  3. gruff
  4. raspy
  5. throaty
  6. growling
  7. hoarse
  8. husky
Adjective
  • 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
  • The sounds of a football field are usually guttural and gravelly.
    — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of guttural
Adjective
  • The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee — who’s been honored for his work as a solo artist and a member of Faces — is known for belting out ballads and rock numbers through an unmistake gravelly voice.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • When listening to McElligott’s radio call, Blue Jackets fans could hear an unspoken homage to Penguins legendary broadcaster Mike Lange, whose gravelly goal calls and distinct, quirky catchphrases thrilled listeners.
    — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of gravelly
Adjective
  • Bob Hoskins’s gruff detective, Eddie Valiant, sees them as a sometimes-dangerous nuisance, while conniving film-studio power players see them as moneymakers, and the rest of humanity sees them as shades in between.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Scott, 88, shares the character's worldview, despite the filmmaker’s notoriously gruff exterior.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of gruff
Adjective
  • In the June 27 debate, put on by CNN, the then-president delivered a halting performance with a raspy voice, struggling with multiple stumbles and lost trains of thought.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Sauer, a Harvard Law graduate who clerked for Scalia—and proved his worth to Trump by successfully arguing the Presidential-immunity case—speaks fast, in a distinctively raspy voice.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of raspy
Adjective
  • Boz is at a photo shoot, giving her best smile and her throatiest laugh.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
  • The instrumentation on the album is a gleaming and impenetrable expanse, and the main attraction is Lipa, whose voice is strong and occasionally throaty.
    — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 3 May 2024
Definition of throaty
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
Definition of growling
Adjective
  • Singers didn’t want their voices to get hoarse over the long night or week.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Saliva collects at the mouthpiece and distorts the notes, making the blasts sound hoarse and off-pitch.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hoarse
Adjective
  • Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • The extravagant, hi-NRG single showcased the breadth of Tyler’s husky grandeur, which proved a perfect fit for Giorgio Moroder.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026
Definition of husky

Browse Nearby Words

growls
growly
grown
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Cite this Entry

“Growly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/growly. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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