gnarly

adjective

ˈnär-lē 

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

Billie Eilish wound up with a gnarly bruise after taking a tumble onstage. —Sabienna Bowman, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024

The guitars are really gnarly and mangled with FX, while Gibby is exploring his Gibbytronix system of delays and pitch-shifting that slowed down and sped up his voice. —Simon Reynolds, Pitchfork, 27 Sep. 2024

The strong scent of the bleach and the sour taste keep insects away, along with more gnarly pests like mice and rodents. —Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Oct. 2024

Now The series promises plenty of action, as the teaser shows Lydia spying surreptitiously through a gap in the wall, someone's hand coming dangerously close to a spinning stone cutter, Paul looking out the window of his home skeptically and a gnarly fist fight. —Julia Moore, People.com, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see gnarled

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1