1
: full of knots or gnarls : knotty
gnarled hands
gnarled olive trees
2
: crabbed in disposition, aspect, or character
a gnarled old veteran

Examples of gnarled in a Sentence

the old man's gnarled fingers
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Devotees of Stumpy — the gnarled tree that became an internet celebrity — will not be able to visit the icon in person. ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026 Outdoor tables afford spectacular views on a warm day, either towering over the busy quilt of Silicon Valley in Cupertino or overlooking the gnarled old Lytton Springs vines in Healdsburg. Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026 Continue in the southerly direction, appreciating the gnarled coast live oaks and sound of shy red-eared sliders plopping off their logs into the water. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026 On our trek back down, mist hovered over rolling hills of dark grasses and trees, some of which were leaf-less, gnarled, and dead due to the toxic fumes of Ijen. Maya Silver, Outside, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gnarled

Word History

Etymology

probably alteration of knurled

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gnarled was in 1603

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Cite this Entry

“Gnarled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnarled. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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