glower, glare, frown and scowl [order of intensity] (2025)

I've been pondering this a bit and am finding it difficult to decide the order in which these words should be placed (1 being the least intensive).

I'm familiar with frown and scowl enough to know that 'a frown turns into a scowl', i.e. that frown would be the least intensive. But with glare and glower it seems they're used in so many ways with different levels of intensity that I'm having a hard time deciding where to put them.

This question is, I suppose, a matter of sentiment which is why I thought to come here and ask those who potentially use these words regularly what they feel is the right order

1) frown
?) scowl
?) glare
?) glower

Welcome, dracuella.

I would choose the order in which you have put them. However we do require members to give some context in which they are using the words. Thank you.

Greyfriar said:

Welcome, dracuella.

I would choose the order in which you have put them. However we do require members to give some context in which they are using the words. Thank you.

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Thank you Greyfriar and fair enough, although I don't have a particular context in mind. I was searching for the amount of anger or agressivity of each verb but I suppose it doesn't really make sense without a bit of context:

"His snide remark made her [frown/scowl/glare/glower] at him. This was not the time for petty quarrel"

Thank you. This is helpful to other forum learners, of which there are many.

Your words are in the correct order.

Welcome to the forum, Dracuella.

I have to disagree. Unlike precise measures or units of time (inch, foot, yard or second, minute, hour) I don't think that the adjectives you mention can be placed in any arbitrary order. Both the words and the facial expressions they describe are subject to individual interpretation and, in my opinion, can't be ranked or assigned arbitrary values.

Thank you Greyfriar, I appreciate it

Parla, stez,
I understand what you're saying, so let me ask you in a different way: If I were to [frown/scowl/glare/glower] at you, which would you in your completely personal, subjective opinions find the least pleasant? Which would be the least/most offensive/unpleasant? Or would these simply be nuances of the same thing? Thank you for your answers

stez said:

I am afraid I can't answer your question. Just taking frown as an example - I can frown with anger, frustration, displeasure, sadness and worry. I can also frown when I am confused and when I am concentrating. As you can see, context is all.

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Yes but wouldn't that solely fit frown? From what I can find, frown is the only one of them that has any ambiguity of the underlying sentiment whereas scowl, glare and glower all seem to be based on feelings of animosity/displeasure.