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
These introductory characters seem extremely overpowered for the early game, cutting through enemy grunts like butter while barely taking a scratch from underpowered opposition attacks. Ars Technica, 26 Feb. 2025 Afterward, the female looked bored, and then, perking up at the grunts of nearby warthogs, hungry. Marcia Desanctis, airmail.news, 1 Feb. 2025
Verb
Chase and Danni go to the master to hook up, and we’re subjected to some late-night sounds of Chase grunting. Emma Soren, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for grunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grunt
Noun
  • Without its central industry, it’s become a ghost town, and one where the era of Harmony and her old friend (played by character actor James LeGros) working as child laborers(*) for Lumon comparatively feel like the good old days.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025
  • A week later, Chinese laborers returned to Rock Springs and soon resumed coal production.
    Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Ally and Jay are both sarcastic, too — their best lines are muttered under their breaths — and their repartee becomes more interesting than the bloody theatrics.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
  • But unlike France — which has both Napoleonic history and darkly muttering existentialists wandering the streets of Paris to remind everyone just how bad things can get — we Americans have no natural immunity.
    Pat Beall, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Labor costs fluctuate based on accessibility and demand for skilled workers.
    Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2025
  • But the hiring rate is pretty soft and finding a job is harder — especially for knowledge workers.
    Courtenay Brown, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Secular humanists are content to mumble something about the imagination.
    Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Mia, unfortunately, has never been receptive to any of that in her time on the show and defaults to tears and mumbled half-apologies only when cornered.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Some earbuds claim to be noise-canceling but barely block out a whisper.
    Juhi Wadia, PCMAG, 17 Mar. 2025
  • There were also controlling parents and whispers of abuse throughout the industry.
    Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • There was a clear rise in noise in the room as people murmured about the person who had just entered.
    Alex Sherman, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025
  • As Gaetz's controversies dominated the news cycle and senators on both sides of the aisle expressed hesitance about confirming his nomination, murmurs arose that the Ethics Committee was thinking about finally releasing its report on the lawmaker given the strong public interest.
    Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
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 23 Mar. 2025.

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