as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petulance
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
In an obvious display of childish petulance, a significant number of Democratic representatives in Texas abandoned their jobs and responsibilities to the voters by fleeing to Illinois.
—For The Carroll County Times, Baltimore Sun, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
In an obvious display of childish petulance, a significant number of Democratic representatives in Texas abandoned their jobs and responsibilities to the voters by fleeing to Illinois.
—For The Carroll County Times, Baltimore Sun, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulance
Noun
-
Franklin says warning signs of caregiver strain can include chronic fatigue, anxiety, irritability, difficulty sleeping and emotional withdrawal.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
-
The calorie deficit also might cause irritability, headaches or low energy levels.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
The Russians still seek territorial concessions and reportedly even want Ukraine to cede land that Putin has been unable to capture through his deadly and costly aggression.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Aug. 2025
-
The United States recently deployed at least one Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle—capable of conducting strikes and reconnaissance—in Northeast Asia amid aggression from North Korea.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulance. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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