Illustration of grunt
- grunt 2
grunted; grunting; grunts
: to utter a grunt
: to utter with a grunt
grunter
noun
plural grunts
1
a
: the deep short sound characteristic of a hog
b
: a similar sound
2
[from the noise it makes when taken from the water]
: any of a family (Haemulidae synonym Pomadasyidae) of chiefly tropical marine bony fishes
3
: a dessert made by dropping biscuit dough on top of boiling berries and steaming
blueberry grunt
4
a
: a U.S. army or marine foot soldier especially in the Vietnam War
b
: one who does routine unglamorous work
—often used attributively
grunt work
Synonyms
Examples of grunt in a Sentence
Verb
The workers were grunting with effort as they lifted the heavy furniture.
She grunted a few words in reply, then turned and walked away.
Noun
the grunt of a pig
I could hear the grunts of the movers as they lifted the heavy furniture.
He answered her with a grunt.
He was a grunt who worked his way up to become an officer.
He's just a grunt in the attorney's office.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025
Between Home Improvement and Last Man Standing, Allen has spent nearly two decades on network TV playing a blue-collar, no-nonsense dad who loves his kids despite all his grumbling (and grunting).
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 6 Jan. 2025
Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Either way, that's still significant grunt from what's essentially a lawnmower engine.
—New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grunt 
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Verb
The team recorded dozens of the native birds gathering around to perform their courtship—showing off their bright feathers, smooth moves and grunting calls.
—Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025
Between Home Improvement and Last Man Standing, Allen has spent nearly two decades on network TV playing a blue-collar, no-nonsense dad who loves his kids despite all his grumbling (and grunting).
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
In no uncertain terms, Hwang is telling us that the grunts, the everyday people who suffer under capitalist institutions, will be forced to become the architects of their own liberation.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Either way, that's still significant grunt from what's essentially a lawnmower engine.
—New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grunt
Articles Related to grunt
Dictionary Entries Near grunt
Cite this Entry
“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grunt. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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