meaning.today

gnarly

adjectiveEnglish

In short

Gnarly can describe something rough and twisted, difficult or unpleasant, or, in slang, impressively good. The intended meaning depends on what is being described and the speaker’s tone.

Its positive slang meaning does not replace its older or negative meanings.

What does gnarly mean?

Meaning in context

The word has three useful groups of meanings:

  • Rough or twisted: roots, branches and other surfaces with an irregular shape.
  • Difficult or unpleasant: a complicated problem, dangerous conditions or an injury that looks bad.
  • Impressively good: an informal expression of admiration, especially for something bold, difficult or rough-edged.

The context matters more than a single Chinese translation. In a discussion of software, a gnarly bug is usually a difficult one. In a skateboarding conversation, a gnarly trick may be a compliment.

Is gnarly good or bad?

It can be either. Listen to what is being described and how the speaker reacts. The word often carries a sense of intensity, difficulty or roughness even when it is used positively.

Gnarly and gnarled

Both can describe rough, twisted wood. Gnarly also has slang and figurative uses that should not simply be transferred to gnarled.

A gnarled old tree with a twisting trunk, knotty roots and crooked branches stands over a green shadow, with a little gold spark beside one branch.

Where does it come from?

Gnarly is related to gnarl and gnarled, words associated with knots and rough, twisted surfaces. Etymonline traces a later use in surfing for dangerous waves and its spread into slang with both positive and negative meanings. Dictionaries differ on the earliest recorded date, so no single first-use year is asserted here.

How to use it in a sentence

“The old tree had thick, gnarly roots.”

“We spent the afternoon fixing a gnarly bug.”

“That was a gnarly skateboard trick.”

Sources and updates

Definitions and examples are written in our own words from the sources above. Published .