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
b
: nasty, unpleasant
"This guy has some pretty gnarly karma coming …"Drew Barrymore
c
: arousing disgust or distaste : gross
A cute toe polish can't save gnarly, callused soles.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
3
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
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
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

Examples of gnarly in a Sentence

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.
Come to find, that spiral horn isn’t merely decorative, but doubles as a gnarly weapon, with which these two larger and far more intimidating-looking unicorns impale their prey. Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Mar. 2025 McLaren Vale is the variety’s spiritual home Down Under, with gnarly old vines and producers like Thistledown skilled at coaxing out Grenache’s plump berry, floral, and white pepper perfume and satiny texture. Christina Pickard, Bon Appétit, 5 Mar. 2025 Despite the wins, cannabis advocacy faces some gnarly challenges in 2025. Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for gnarly

Word History

Etymology

see gnarled

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gnarly was in 1760

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gnarly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gnarly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gnarly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!