verb

snarl

SNAHL

Snarl (verb) means to growl and bare the teeth angrily, as an animal does. Example: “The dog snarled at the mail carrier.”

verb

To growl and bare the teeth angrily, as an animal does.

"The dog snarled at the mail carrier."

To speak in an angry, aggressive tone.

""Get out," he snarled."

To tangle something up, or to become congested, as with traffic.

"An overturned lorry snarled traffic for miles."

noun

A tangled knot, or a bad traffic jam.

"Her hair was a snarl after the windy walk."

"The accident caused a snarl on the interstate."

How to use snarl

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo growl or speak angrily, or to tangle/jam something up.

Common pairings

snarl traffic snarl at someone a traffic snarl

Word forms

snarled past tense, snarled past tense, snarls plural, snarls plural, snarls singular, snarls singular

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Etymology

From Middle English snarlen, a frequentative form of snaren ("to trap, entangle"), related to snare.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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snap mat maze tangle entangle snarl up embrangle

Related words

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Rhymes for snarl

jarl carl Karl darl

See all rhymes for snarl →

Frequently asked questions

What does “snarl” mean?

The word “snarl” means to growl and bare the teeth angrily, as an animal does. In plain terms, to growl or speak angrily, or to tangle/jam something up.

How do you pronounce “snarl”?

“Snarl” is pronounced SNAHL (/ˈsnɑː(ɹ)l/ in IPA).

How do you use “snarl” in a sentence?

Here is “snarl” used in a sentence: “The dog snarled at the mail carrier.”

What part of speech is “snarl”?

Depending on how it is used, “snarl” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “snarl” come from?

The word “snarl” comes from Middle English. From Middle English snarlen, a frequentative form of snaren ("to trap, entangle"), related to snare.

How many meanings does “snarl” have?

“Snarl” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to growl and bare the teeth angrily, as an animal does.

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