curmudgeon

cur·mud·geon | \ (ˌ)kər-ˈmə-jən

How to pronounce curmudgeon (audio)

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Definition of curmudgeon

1 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man

2 archaic : miser

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Examples of curmudgeon in a Sentence

At his quirky best, the elder Cooper is a curmudgeon right out of central casting, grumpy old man meets borscht-belt crank. He really does fiddle with his hearing aid and yell, "What? I can't hear you," only to chide you afterward that there's no need to shout. — Norah Vincent, New York Times Book Review, 19 Feb. 2006 We were in Edinburgh visiting the in-laws. I was, as usual, being a grumpy old curmudgeon. My people don't travel well. — David Mamet, Jafsie and John Henry Essays, 1999 Oh, he had the reputation for being a curmudgeon, and he didn't suffer fools gladly, and often he seemed to have no tolerance for people at all. — Robertson Davies, The Lyre of Orpheus, 1989 only a curmudgeon would object to the nursing home's holiday decorations

Recent Examples on the Web The result should put a smile on the faces of even the dourest of curmudgeons. — Charlie Theel, Ars Technica, "Unmatched: Battle of Legends," 14 Dec. 2019 Meanwhile, China has gone from being a climate change curmudgeon to sometimes reaping praise as a global leader on the issue. — BostonGlobe.com, "Three years into Donald Trump’s presidency, America’s global influence is waning. In interviews with the Associated Press, diplomats, foreign officials, and scholars from numerous countries describe a changing world order in which the United States has less of a central role.," 9 Dec. 2019 Meanwhile, China has gone from being a climate change curmudgeon to sometimes reaping praise as a global leader on the issue. — Washington Post, "America’s influence, once so dominant, waning under Trump," 8 Dec. 2019 Meanwhile, China has gone from being a climate change curmudgeon to sometimes reaping praise as a global leader on the issue. — Tim Sullivan, The Denver Post, "America’s influence, once so dominant, waning under Trump," 8 Dec. 2019 Jac LeDoux has fun and finds some hidden depth in a curmudgeon-with-a-heart-of-gold role, while Jason Blackwater also shows some depth in the pain that dictates the unlikable actions of Shelby’s domineering husband. — Matthew J. Palm, orlandosentinel.com, "Mad Cow Theatre’s ‘Spitfire Grill’ sizzles with hope, charity and love | Review," 7 Dec. 2019 That also means curmudgeons over 45 have a new generation to target in terrible think pieces about why the country is going to hell. — cleveland, "Study finds millions in Flyover country could lose health coverage if ACA is nixed: The Flyover," 7 Oct. 2019 He may be dressed as a cartoon curmudgeon, but Brantley's laughter is infectious. — Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, "2-year-old with cerebral palsy has clever Halloween costume that celebrates his disability," 17 Oct. 2019 Spencer plays Cash, the son of a waitress (Anna Camp) who belongs to a church choir under the direction of a curmudgeon (Bradley Whitford). — Hal Boedeker, orlandosentinel.com, "Apopka actor, 11, stars in NBC’s ‘Perfect Harmony’," 25 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'curmudgeon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

22 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Curmudgeon.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon. Accessed 26 January 2020.

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