grunt 1 of 2

1
as in grunting
speech that is not clear enough to be understood preoccupied with what he was doing, the mechanic gave only a grunt when I asked when the car would be ready

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2
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work we have an opening in the warehouse if you don't mind doing grunt work

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grunt

2 of 2

verb

as in to mutter
to speak softly and unclearly was so absorbed with the video game that when asked what he wanted for dinner, he just grunted

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grunt
Noun
Bonobos, great apes related to us and chimpanzees that live in the Republic of Congo, communicate with vocal calls including peeps, hoots, yelps, grunts, and whistles. ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2025 Speaking of dolphins, they’re also frequently joined by other Florida Keys aquatic life like parrotfish, snapper, grunts, and eagle rays. Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
Kandil recalls how, in those moments, her son would grunt and clamp down, completely blocking his airway. Jordan Greene, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 Tim Allen's grunting tool man led one of the '90s most popular sitcoms. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunt
Noun
  • One was a White farmer, while the others were Black laborers or security workers, police said.
    / CBS News, CBS News, 23 May 2025
  • Consider android laborers harvesting crops at night while humans engage in creative endeavors by day.
    Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • He is made, late in the show, to feign a seizure in a moment that doesn’t land, and the blocking of his final scene, in which the actor mutters to the ceiling while lying on his back, similarly thuds.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Victoria barely muttered a word to Kate, who approached the Ratliffs during a meal, making the exchange extra awkward.
    Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the original, appears in the new film as the social worker Mrs. Kekoa.
    Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • At the board meeting, Meadowview officials said a social worker spoke with students on Friday and counselors were at the school Monday.
    Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Hutchinson had no final statement, according to the Associated Press, and appeared to mumble to himself as the procedure began.
    James Powel, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • Hutchinson had no last statement but appeared to be mumbling to himself as the procedure started just before 8 p.m.
    CBS News, CBS News, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • There are no tanks on the streets or intelligence agents stamping out whispers of dissent.
    Leila Fadel, NPR, 29 May 2025
  • One legend says workers found fake coins during excavations on the site; others hold whispers of kings, assassinations and shady land ownership.
    Lily Radziemski, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • In one video, the passenger shared a video of a brown roach making its way up the back of a chair from the back seat pocket with its little legs as passengers who witnessed it could be heard murmuring in the background.
    Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 14 May 2025
  • But the attitude of the Romanian mercenaries — always scanning the road, murmuring into radios — gave it away: Congo’s defenses were crumbling.
    Emmet Livingstone, The Dial, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Bulldogs players began to tap their friends and mouth the quarterback’s name.
    Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Ford decided to mouth his last name at the end, a decision that caused observers to break out in laughter.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Grunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grunt. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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