gnarlier; gnarliest
1
: gnarled
gnarly branches
2
slang
: very bad: such as
a
: very difficult or challenging to deal with
a gnarly [=thorny, knotty] problem
gnarly conditions
Having … skidded around gnarly hairpin turns … , the two bikers pedaled furiously for the finish.—
Austin Murphy
Austin Murphy
b
: nasty, unpleasant
"This guy has some pretty gnarly karma coming …"—Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
c
: arousing disgust or distaste : gross
A cute toe polish can't save gnarly, callused soles.—Jessica R. White
Jessica R. White" … It'll be kind of a gruesome death. You know, its fur will start falling out, it'll develop gnarly sores all over its body. … "—David Randall
David Randall3
slang
: cool, excellent
After initially wiping out on the left wave, [Filipe] Toledo responded with a gnarly air reverse on the right and was rewarded with a 9.27.—Hanford Sentinel
Hanford Sentinel
especially
: having a pleasingly or impressively rugged or rough quality
He played in the NFL, but then got bored with football and became a FBI agent. He was a gnarly dude. —Reece Kelley Graham
Reece Kelley Graham And yet [Mark] Knopfler built a reputation as an intensely creative virtuoso (not to mention an ace songwriter), showing remarkable command over a range of tones and textures—from the gnarly distortion on hit single "Money for Nothing" to the stinging precision of "Tunnel of Love." —Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone Examples of gnarly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nothing seemed more tranquil than driving through the Rioja wine region in north-central Spain, passing lovely bodegas (wineries) and vineyard after vineyard of low-lying old bush vines with their thick trunks and gnarly arms having only a handful of Tempranillo grape bunches hanging.
—Cathrine Todd, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
By comparison, where the Huskers stand after a gnarly 49-46 defeat Monday night against Big Ten co-leader Michigan looks encouraging.
—Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
The pair meet after the guy picks up a prescription for an extremely gnarly black eye, setting off a whirlwind romance that’s inevitably disrupted by — what else? — a grumpy parent.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2025
Horror enthusiasts enjoyed the gnarly thrills and gory deaths.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025
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Cathrine Todd, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
By comparison, where the Huskers stand after a gnarly 49-46 defeat Monday night against Big Ten co-leader Michigan looks encouraging.
—Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
The pair meet after the guy picks up a prescription for an extremely gnarly black eye, setting off a whirlwind romance that’s inevitably disrupted by — what else? — a grumpy parent.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2025
Horror enthusiasts enjoyed the gnarly thrills and gory deaths.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gnarly
Cite this Entry
“Gnarly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnarly. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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