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Synonyms
Examples of petulance in a Sentence
I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue.
Recent Examples on the Web
The album’s other highlights are extreme expressions of rage and petulance.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2024
This is the tragic feature of American life: that seemingly inescapable petulance and moral fatigue that leads so many to put aside efforts to make real the promises of American democracy and, instead, find comfort and safety in the idea that this country belongs only to white people.
—Eddie S. Glaude Jr., TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
This privileged-class perspective ranks Rohrwacher’s politics with Sofia and Greta’s petulance.
—Armond White, National Review, 3 Apr. 2024
Niamh’s confidence in her power is a relief from the untrained paranormal heroine in need of guidance, and Kit makes petulance unusually charming.
—Olivia Waite, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024
The wholesale abandonment of X by major advertisers such as the Walt Disney Co. provoked Musk to a profane outburst of public petulance, underscoring his new image as an 8-year-old mind in a rich man’s body.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023
Beyond the Ohio Republican, the failure of the House GOP to settle on a leader shows what happens when a party surrenders an ideological rudder for one driven by personalities, petty grievances, and petulance.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 19 Oct. 2023
As for petulance, rape, murder, and kidnapping will do that.
—Joe Snell, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023
Nick Saban showed petulance this week and indecision during his weekly press conference earlier this week, Paul Finebaum said.
—Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 30 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'petulance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1535, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near petulance
Cite this Entry
“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petulance. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
petulance
noun
pet·u·lance
ˈpech-ə-lən(t)s
: the quality or state of being petulant
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