as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petulance
Refund claims will certainly be made and sustained in the courts, so all the president’s petulance will accomplish is to cause delay and increase the government’s obligation to pay interest due on the refunds.
—
Tom Campbell,
Oc Register,
22 Feb. 2026
Florida has had enough of pettiness, politic stunts and petulance.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2026
True, its narrative was hard to follow, its dialogue abstruse, but why the petulance?
—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
So there’s a feeling of vindictiveness and petulance that’s in there, but there’s also a practicality to it, too.
—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Tom Campbell,
Oc Register,
22 Feb. 2026
Florida has had enough of pettiness, politic stunts and petulance.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2026
True, its narrative was hard to follow, its dialogue abstruse, but why the petulance?
—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
So there’s a feeling of vindictiveness and petulance that’s in there, but there’s also a practicality to it, too.
—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulance
Noun
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Symptoms include extreme fatigue, impaired performance, headache, irritability, nausea, dizziness, cramping and dehydration.
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Heat exhaustion symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, heavy sweating, high body temperature and decreased urine output.
Noun
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Ukraine has every right to attack Russia’s military infrastructure that sustains its aggression.
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Issues could include insomnia, aggression, difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to psychotropic medication and exacerbation of existing mental illness -- like anxiety, depression and schizophrenia.
Cite this Entry
“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulance. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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