gnarly

American  

[nahr-lee] / ˈnɑr li /

adjective

gnarlier, gnarliest

1. twisted with or as if with gnarls or knots; gnarled.

   long and gnarly fingers.

2. Slang. distasteful or distressing; offensive; gross.

   a comic noted for his gnarly humor.

3. Slang. excellent; wonderful.

   The live album has some gnarly guitar riffs and sweet bass lines.

4. Slang. difficult or dangerous.

   the gnarly surf.

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gnarly British  

/ ˈnɑːlɪ /

adjective

1. another word for gnarled

2. informal good; great

3. slang surfing difficult and dangerous

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Other Word Forms

• gnarliness noun

Etymology

Origin of gnarly

First recorded in 1820–30; gnarl ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

“The North Shore is pretty gnarly right now. So hopefully everyone’s safe and getting out. Stay safe out there,” he added.

From MarketWatch

This is a native landscape of dark and gnarly forms of oak trees, which are numbered in chalk to keep track of their stripping.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The conditions on the North Shore are gnarly."

From BBC

She often side-stepped the inquiry by expressing her love of the character or playing “gnarly witches.”

From Los Angeles Times

Dirt fell from the ceiling as she tugged the slender glass tube free from the gnarly hand jutting out from the ceiling.

From Literature