snarl

¹ American  

[snahrl] / snɑrl /

verb (used without object)

1. to growl threateningly or viciously, especially with a raised upper lip to bare the teeth, as a dog.

2. to speak in a surly or threatening manner suggestive of a dog's snarl.

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verb (used with object)

1. to say by snarling.

   to snarl a threat.

noun

1. the act of snarling.

2. a snarling sound or utterance.

snarl ² American  

[snahrl] / snɑrl /

noun

1. a tangle, as of thread, hair, or wire.

2. a complicated or confused condition or matter.

   a traffic snarl.

3. a knot in wood.

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verb (used with object)

1. to bring into a tangled condition, as thread or hair.

2. to render complicated or confused.

   The questions snarled him up.

3. to raise or emboss, as parts of a thin metal vessel, by hammering on a tool snarling iron held against the inner surface of the vessel.

verb (used without object)

1. to become tangled; get into a tangle.

snarl ¹ British  

/ snɑːl /

noun

1. a tangled mass of thread, hair, etc

2. a complicated or confused state or situation

3. a knot in wood

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verb

1. (often foll by up) to be, become, or make tangled or complicated

2. to confuse mentally

3. (tr) to flute or emboss (metal) by hammering on a tool held against the under surface

snarl ² British  

/ snɑːl /

verb

1. (intr) (of an animal) to growl viciously, baring the teeth

2. to speak or express (something) viciously or angrily

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noun

1. a vicious growl, utterance, or facial expression

2. the act of snarling

Other Word Forms

• snarler noun
• snarling adjective
• snarlingly adverb
• snarly adjective

Etymology

Origin of snarl¹

First recorded in 1580–90; equivalent to obsolete snar “to snarl” (cognate with Dutch, Low German snarren, German schnarren ) + -le

Origin of snarl²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English snarle “snare, trap”; snare ¹, -le

Example Sentences

In Bengaluru - often called India's Silicon Valley for its many IT companies and start-up headquarters - there were public outbursts from citizens and billionaire entrepreneurs alike, fed up with its traffic snarls and garbage piles.

From BBC

As an Uber driver in the snarled streets of the capital, Tegucigalpa, it hasn't been easy for him to put money aside.

From BBC

Apart from the air-travel impact, weather forecasters warned that the storm could snarl highways as families across the country make their way home after the Christmas holiday.

From The Wall Street Journal

The San Francisco Bay Area is expected to see its first in a series of Christmas week storms on Sunday, potentially snarling holiday travel.

From Los Angeles Times

At Cold Comfort Farm “dawn crept over the Downs like a sinister white animal, followed by the snarling cries of a wind eating its way between the black boughs of the thorns.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bark
• growl
• mutter