grumpy

adjective

ˈgrəm-pē How to pronounce grumpy (audio)
Definition of grumpynext
1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed a grumpy neighbor whose yard we had long ago learned not to trespass

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot the baby's sure to be grumpy if she doesn't get her afternoon nap

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grumpy Lorelai seemed fated to end up with Luke (Scott Patterson), the grumpy-with-a-heart-of-gold diner owner. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 24 July 2026 Depp popped out as Ebenezer Scrooge to give the crowd a monologue that was difficult to understand — but most people would expect that Scrooge said something grumpy and anti-Christmas. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 23 July 2026 Could the court compel the moose to become squinty-eyed and grumpy? — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Today, be patient with family members, especially parents and older relatives, because people are in a stern, strict and grumpy mood. — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grumpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grumpy
  1. irritable
  2. restless
  3. grouchy
  4. displeased
  5. querulous
  6. crabby
  7. nervous
  8. cranky
Adjective
  • The product immediately calmed down my irritable, rosacea-prone skin while delivering intense hydration that lasted all day.
    — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 31 Aug. 2026
  • How skipping breakfast affects kids at school Nemours KidsHealth reports that kids who miss the morning meal often feel tired, restless or irritable by midmorning.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • But Timeless is the first release of unheard recordings since 2023, and fans grew restless in the interim, circulating petitions and open letters asking for more from Prince’s storied vaults.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Turner played a restless man drafted into the British Army in the years after World War II.
    — L. Sue Baugh, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of restless
Adjective
  • Hig has bunkered down with a grouchy companion, Bangley (Josh Brolin), who thrives in this harsh world.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Everything about it was meant to be a corrective against that straight white, grouchy private detective.
    — Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of grouchy
Adjective
  • Public Broadcast Laboratory was displeased with her footage of Coleman and Denardo and cancelled the film.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Vitello fervently defended Adames the day after the broadcast, and Adames was plenty displeased with how he was framed.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of displeased
Adjective
  • The American right, too, is in a shifting, querulous state.
    — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
  • In fact, the B-2 bombers were still in the air with hours to go before reaching home when Van Hollen issued his querulous statement.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of querulous
Adjective
  • For the priests, this was a case of demonic possession due to witch-craft, and Mary’s crabby, aloof neighbor Elizabeth Jackson was the prime witch suspect.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The show followed the destitute Cuylers — father Early, his illegitimate son Rusty, his meth-loving sister Lily, and his crabby grandmother Granny — and their various moneymaking high jinks.
    — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of crabby
Adjective
  • The letter writer is almost 40 and nervous about living with a romantic partner for the first time.
    — Shane O’Neill, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That energy spike is reinforcing inflation worries in a bond market already nervous about America’s $40 trillion mountain of debt.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • Brolin is cranky, colorful and memorable as a survivor who didn’t get that way by accident.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
  • There were interceptions, incompletions and a few tussles from cranky and competitive players on a hot and humid New England morning.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cranky

Browse Nearby Words

grumps
grumpy
grungy
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Cite this Entry

“Grumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grumpy. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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