snarl
1 of 4verb (1)
ˈsnär(-ə)l 
snarled; snarling; snarls
transitive verb
1
: to cause to become knotted and intertwined : tangle
2
: to make excessively complicated
intransitive verb
: to become snarled
snarl
2 of 4noun (1)
1
: a tangle especially of hairs or thread : knot
2
: a tangled situation
traffic snarls
snarl
3 of 4verb (2)
snarled; snarling; snarls
intransitive verb
1
: to growl with a snapping, gnashing, or display of teeth
2
: to give vent to anger in surly language
transitive verb
: to utter or express with a snarl or by snarling
snarl
4 of 4noun (2)
: a surly angry growl
snarly
ˈsnär-lē
adjective 
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- entangle
- interlace
- intertwine
- intertwist
- interweave
- knot
- tangle
Noun (1)
- backup
- bottleneck
- jam
- jam-up
- logjam
- tailback [British]
- tie-up
Verb (2)
- bark
- snap
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English, to trap, entangle, probably frequentative of snaren to snare
Noun (1)
Middle English snarle snare, noose, probably from snarlen, verb
Verb (2)
frequentative of obsolete English snar to growl; akin to Middle Low German snorren to drone, rattle
First Known Use
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1589, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1613, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing snarl
Kids Definition
snarl 1 of 4
verb
ˈsnärl
snarled; snarling
1
: to growl with a showing of teeth
The dog snarled at the stranger.
2
: to speak in an angry way
snarl
2 of 4noun
: an angry growl
snarl
3 of 4noun
1
: a tangle usually of hairs or thread : knot
She's combing out the snarls.
2
: a situation that makes movement difficult
a traffic snarl
snarl
4 of 4verb
snarled; snarling
: to get or become tangled
snarling 1 of 2
verb (1)
as in barking
to speak sharply or irritably she snarled at me after I kept badgering her with questions Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- barking
- shouting
- yelling
- screaming
- growling
- snapping
- shrieking
- grumbling
- roaring
- fulminating
- sputtering
- raging
- ranting
- raving
- vituperating
- exploding
- venting
- storming
- teeing off
- flipping (out)
- flaring (up)
- blowing up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- calming (down)
- simmering down
snarling
2 of 2verb (2)
as in tangling
to twist together into a usually confused mass you'll be awfully sorry if you snarl your fishing line Synonyms & Similar Words
- tangling
- knotting
- jumbling
- intertwining
- scrabbling
- weaving
- entangling
- writhing
- scrambling
- twining
- interlacing
- intertwisting
- interweaving
- braiding
- winding
- entwining
- plaiting
- entwisting
- enlacing
- wreathing
- inweaving
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- untangling
- disentangling
- untwisting
- unraveling
- unsnarling
- unknotting
- untwining
- unscrambling
- unweaving