gnarly

gnarly [nahr-lee] ExamplesWord Origin adjective, gnarl·i·er, gnarl·i·est.

1. gnarled.
2. Slang. distasteful; distressing; offensive; gross: a comic noted for his gnarly humor.

Origin of gnarly First recorded in 1820–30; gnarl1 + -y1 Related formsgnarl·i·ness, noun Related Words for gnarliest hairy, boss, great, keen, magnificent, marvelous, neat, nifty, sensational, superb, swell, wonderful, finest Examples from the Web for gnarliest Contemporary Examples of gnarliest

And on the new, pavement beaches, surfers would enjoy the highest, gnarliest waves in history.

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June 30, 2012

Historical Examples of gnarliest

The gnarliest will have some redeeming traits even to the eye.

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British Dictionary definitions for gnarliest gnarly adjective

1. another word for gnarled
2. NZ informal good; great
3. surfing slang difficult and dangerous

Word Origin and History for gnarliest gnarly adj.

1829, “knotted and rugged,” from gnarl (see gnarled) + -y (2). Picked up 1970s as surfer slang to describe a dangerous wave; it had spread in teen slang by 1982, where it meant both “excellent” and “disgusting.”