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

Explanation

Something gnarly is twisted, knotty, or bent, like the gnarly branches of an old apple tree or the gnarly fingers of an elderly person. "Gnarled and knotted" is the original meaning of this adjective, from the Middle English knar, "knob, knot, or mass." Confusingly, though, it's just as commonly used in two other (completely opposite) ways, to mean both "difficult" and "wonderful." In the 1970s, North American surfers adopted gnarly into their slang to describe a huge, dangerous wave. Later it came to mean "awesome," as in: "Listen to this gnarly guitar solo!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gnarly gnarlier gnarliest

Preparing for a gnarly thunderstorm that would probably wipe out our power?

From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026

A gnarly debate at the center of modern AI research boils down to this: Can a system modeled on the human nervous system ever actually match a human’s abilities?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Nor are members choosing to resign instead of waiting for a gnarly Ethics Committee report to drop.

From Slate ● Apr. 16, 2026

The result was Pinkerton, a gnarly, bruised album that tapped into Cuomo's loneliness, boredom and anger.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

As the mouth came closer, my eyes went straight to the huge, serrated teeth, gnarly and sticking out at different angles.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

These intimations of mortality, which I wouldn’t have minded hearing about in even gnarlier detail, suggest cracks in Barbie’s psyche, but also in Barbie Land’s very foundations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2023

A gnarlier control issue arises if robots are rude in the service of a societal, rather than personal, goal.

From Slate ● Aug. 23, 2021

Lyonne, 38, has a weird ability to grow more appealing the gnarlier her character and surroundings get.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 6, 2017

The most seasoned outfitter among many in this town that can take you for a fun morning float or on a longer, gnarlier river ride.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 22, 2015

And so Ms. Hynes is perhaps the ideal person to remind the world about Tom Murphy, the spiritual forebear of this younger, gnarlier cohort.

From New York Times ● Jun. 29, 2012

Even his gnarliest shows enjoyed successful revivals — more acclaimed, and more profitable, than their original productions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 2026

That’s when she braves the sport’s gnarliest crashes to master tricks so dangerous that her opponents won’t even dare to attempt them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026

“In contrast, this year has so much death metal in the basement. This is the gnarliest Barboza we’ve ever had.”

From Seattle Times ● May 3, 2024

Quarterback Justin Herbert’s high throw to Mike Williams hit the wide receiver’s hands, but Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey — one of the gnarliest corners in this N.F.L. — was on the spot to rough up Williams.

From New York Times ● Oct. 17, 2021

Professional surfers live a nomadic, unusual lifestyle; the very best trot across the globe in search of the gnarliest waves.

From Washington Post