growling

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growl

Growling is when an animal makes a low, rough sound, usually because it's feeling scared or threatened. It's like a loud rumble in its throat.

When someone says that a dog is growling, they often mean that the dog is showing aggression or trying to protect itself. For example, if you're petting a dog and it suddenly starts growling, it might be saying "leave me alone!" The sound can be low and menacing, but also sometimes just a bit of a grumble. If you know an animal well, you might recognize its growl as a sign that it's feeling anxious or scared, rather than actually angry.

How common is "growling"?

Word growling is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

verb

To utter a deep guttural sound, as an angry animal; to give forth an angry, grumbling sound.
Example: The dog growled at me as I walked past.
Of a wind instrument: to produce a low-pitched rumbling sound.
To send a user a message via the Growl software library.
To express (something) by growling.
Example: The old man growled his displeasure at the postman.
To play a wind instrument in a way that produces a low-pitched rumbling sound.

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noun

A sustained instance of growls or guttural noises.
Example: The growling from her stomach told us she was hungry.
The technique of producing a low-pitched growling or rumbling sound on a wind instrument.

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adjective

Producing a growl.
Example: The growling dog frightened him.

Real examples of "growling" in context

Jason Momoa's Full Interview on The Ellen Show

Interview

and the dog's growling.

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