1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a grumpy neighbor whose yard we had long ago learned not to trespass
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
the baby's sure to be grumpy if she doesn't get her afternoon nap
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grumpy
The home crowd, grumpy and disillusioned a few weeks earlier, are now cheering the team off the pitch.
—
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
All the fresh ingredients, inventive recipes, meticulous plating and glorious design means nothing if my food is served by a grumpy waiter or if my water glass is dirty.
—Lynne Sullivan, The Providence Journal, 15 Feb. 2026
And who doesn’t relish the gothic details of an ancient manor and grumpy yet uniquely attractive duke that owns it?
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Then there was the grumpy forty-something.
—John Winsor, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grumpy
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
All the fresh ingredients, inventive recipes, meticulous plating and glorious design means nothing if my food is served by a grumpy waiter or if my water glass is dirty.
—Lynne Sullivan, The Providence Journal, 15 Feb. 2026
And who doesn’t relish the gothic details of an ancient manor and grumpy yet uniquely attractive duke that owns it?
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Then there was the grumpy forty-something.
—John Winsor, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grumpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grumpy
Adjective
-
Caroly is immediately affected, glued to the TV; John, suddenly irritable, retreats.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Rather than get irritable online, Medeiros did something positive about it.—
Dan Medeiros,
The Herald News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Leo moon sparks your restless desires for fun and adventure.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Deep inside every atom lies a restless world of quarks and gluons—the tiny building blocks that hold everything together, from rocks to stars.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That Utah rideshare driver, however, was justifiable more grouchy.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Flockhart is equally supportive of Ford, having expressed her joy at watching her husband’s performance as the grouchy, oft-deadpan therapist.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
However, the 311-pound lineman looked displeased with himself following a 20-rep performance in the bench press.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Despite playing major minutes over the past week, Adebayo at one point in the first half turned to Spoelstra seemingly displeased with being subbed out.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In fact, the B-2 bombers were still in the air with hours to go before reaching home when Van Hollen issued his querulous statement.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Mar. 2026
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This canonical part has been played by some of the foremost women of the British stage, among them Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Edith Evans, who, in Anthony Asquith’s 1952 film adaptation, put a delightfully querulous spin on Lady Bracknell’s most indelible lines.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
17 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The show followed the destitute Cuylers — father Early, his illegitimate son Rusty, his meth-loving sister Lily, and his crabby grandmother Granny — and their various moneymaking high jinks.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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Lucy Van Pelt Lucy is the crabby kid who always has something up her sleeve.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Who isn’t nervous meeting the prospective in-laws for the first time?—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Jason Bateman delivers the mundane analogy like a pro, blending sincerity and uncertainty inside his singular, nervous vocal rhythms.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
People get cranky with the change.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Lauren Michele Jackson, cultural critic, New Yorker staffer, and the author of White Negroes, finally weighed in with the One Battle After Another review this cranky sue has been waiting for.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grumpy. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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