gnarly

American  

[nahr-lee] / ˈnɑr li /

adjective

gnarlier, gnarliest

1. twisted with or as if with gnarls or knots; gnarled.

   long and gnarly fingers.

2. Slang. distasteful or distressing; offensive; gross.

   a comic noted for his gnarly humor.

3. Slang. excellent; wonderful.

   The live album has some gnarly guitar riffs and sweet bass lines.

4. Slang. difficult or dangerous.

   the gnarly surf.

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gnarly British  

/ ˈnɑːlɪ /

adjective

1. another word for gnarled

2. informal good; great

3. slang surfing difficult and dangerous

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Other Word Forms

• gnarliness noun

Etymology

Origin of gnarly

First recorded in 1820–30; gnarl ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Dirt fell from the ceiling as she tugged the slender glass tube free from the gnarly hand jutting out from the ceiling.

From Literature

The reef is gnarly here, not something a surfer wants to be dropped on by a ten-foot wall of water.

From Literature

That determination to live on one’s own terms, no matter how gnarly or weird other people thought you were, is what fueled Fat Mike and NOFX, and judging from the trailer, that hasn’t changed.

From Los Angeles Times

But he has won five of his eight matches and ground out a gnarly singles win over Rose.

From BBC

What’s more fun is how Tipping finds gnarly ways to drive home his critical point, mostly through increasingly absurd interactions between Cameron and Isaiah.

From Salon