as in muttering
speech that is not clear enough to be understood
says he talks in his sleep, but really it's just snorts and grunting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in mumbling
to speak softly and unclearly
was so absorbed with the video game that when asked what he wanted for dinner, he just grunted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 grunting
Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2025
There are up to 20,000 rabid people raining down their emotions from all angles, a dozen sticks clattering, two dozen skates carving, all those burly bodies bumping into each other and banging into the boards, plus an endless stream of screaming and grunting and cursing.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
The red hind grouper (Epinephelus guttatus) is big on grunting.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
Flushing Meadows has become the site of flushed cheeks during the final grand slam tournament of the year, with a confrontation over grunting on Saturday serving up the latest evidence of emotions running hot in New York.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
Tim Allen's grunting tool man led one of the '90s most popular sitcoms.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025
The elephant is now decidedly less friendly, and is doing far more than twitching and grunting.
—Stephen Maher, TIME, 15 Feb. 2025
Yesterday Re complaints about her grunting--go make those complaints on the men's side of the arena, please, and stop policing women's behavior.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
Chase and Danni go to the master to hook up, and we’re subjected to some late-night sounds of Chase grunting.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
People are well outnumbered by the humpbacks and pods of orcas, bald eagles and herons, seals and sea lions grunting their tone-deaf tunes atop the rocks.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunting
Verb
-
The camera then turns to James Austin Johnson, who played the president, sleeping and muttering New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s name.—
-
On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive.—
Noun
-
Wrestlers are rewarded for greater effort, more force and louder grunts.—
-
Zach Edwards, senior threat researcher at Silent Push, said the structure is a classic one, in which young people do most of the dangerous grunt work in a criminal organization.—
Verb
-
The girl was found on the floor mumbling and spitting up blood, according to the warrant affidavit.—
-
Tomorrow morning, New Yorkers across the five boroughs will be nursing their hangovers, mumbling bacon, egg, and cheese orders—and welcoming a new mayor.—
Noun
-
To this day, the cooing and mutter of pigeons can lull me into a space of deep enjoyment.—
Verb
-
Two students have unrolled what looks like an incomplete treasure map, and lean over it with magnifying glasses, murmuring to one another.—
-
The music cuts off, and, gradually, everyone leaves, murmuring about a rave happening not too far away.—
Noun
-
Every offseason, the whispers of PGA Tour stars defecting to LIV Golf swirl like clockwork.—
-
This could trigger everything from whispers and misunderstandings to grudges that resurface in the group chat.—
Cite this Entry
“Grunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunting. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share