grumpier; grumpiest
: moodily cross : surly
grumpily adverb
grumpiness noun

Examples of grumpy in a Sentence

Our neighbor is a grumpy old man. I was feeling grumpy after my long flight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But, wishes aside, Patterson was cast as Danes, the grumpy but kindhearted diner owner at the heart of the show’s romance between his character and Lauren Graham’s Lorelai Gilmore. Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025 However, the Moon is at odds with Mars, encouraging grumpy and irritable reactions. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025 Trump’s treating these Epstein files like a grumpy old neighbor on Halloween. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025 Twenty-six years after Home Improvement wrapped, the actress joined her former cast mates Richard Karn and Patricia Richardson in a scene in which Allen's grumpy protagonist Matt Parker begrudgingly attends a grief support group frequented by Charlotte (Nancy Travis). Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grumpy

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grumpy was in 1778

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grumpy. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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