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gnarly

[ nahr-lee ]
/ ˈnɑr li /
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adjective, gnarl·i·er, gnarl·i·est.
twisted with or as if with gnarls or knots; gnarled: long and gnarly fingers.
Slang. distasteful or distressing; offensive; gross: a comic noted for his gnarly humor.
Slang. excellent; wonderful: The live album has some gnarly guitar riffs and sweet bass lines.
Slang. difficult or dangerous: the gnarly surf.
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Origin of gnarly

First recorded in 1820–30; gnarl1 + -y1

OTHER WORDS FROM gnarly

gnarl·i·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gnarly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gnarly

gnarly
/ (ˈnɑːlɪ) /

adjective
another word for gnarled
NZ informal good; great
surfing slang difficult and dangerous
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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