disgruntled

1 of 2

adjective

dis·​grun·​tled dis-ˈgrən-tᵊld 

: unhappy and annoyed

a disgruntled employee

She led her sodden and disgruntled team back into the changing rooms, insisting that the practice had not been a waste of time, though without any real conviction in her voice.

—J. K. Rowling

… a $300,000 refund pool for disgruntled former customers …

—Kevin McGurk

The crowd was up as well, and just as disgruntled as it had been the night before.

—Christopher Cooper & Robert Block

disgruntled

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of disgruntle

Synonyms of disgruntled

Adjective

• dissatisfied
• frustrated

Examples of disgruntled in a Sentence

Adjective

a disgruntled postal worker was responsible for the vandalism

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

My clients have found this to be a very effective strategy to ensure there are no surprises, big disappointments or overwhelming, stressful situations that then lead to disgruntled feelings for both the owner and staff. — Hanneke Antonelli, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

In 2025, Bonnaroo kicked off on schedule, but more heavy rains ultimately led to the cancellation of the remainder of the festival and sent thousands of disgruntled fans packing up early. — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

The move is to encourage disgruntled customers to resolve their issues outside the court. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 17 Aug. 2026

Padmini became as disgruntled as Ambika, clomping through her work and barely speaking. — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of disgruntle

First Known Use

Adjective

1830, in the meaning defined above