1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a lack of sleep would make anyone grouchy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
a grouchy kid who refuses to eat his vegetables
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Recent Examples of grouchy
The energy of the performances — from Aduba’s deadpan forthrightness to the more antic work by comedians like Marino and Jane Curtin (as the president’s grouchy mother-in-law) — and the rat-a-tat style of all the conversations carries the day.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2025
The only people who can help Sara and Devin are Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), a grouchy mountain man, and Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), a mute Shoshone girl fleeing her own violent past.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
The Grinch will also host an ugly sweater party with green pancakes, green hot chocolate, and grouchy crafts.
—Paula Conway, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
There’s Loto, who designed and maintains the canoe; Kele, the grouchy elder chef who prepares vegetables; and Moni, a young storyteller and Maui fanboy.
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for grouchy
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2025
The only people who can help Sara and Devin are Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), a grouchy mountain man, and Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), a mute Shoshone girl fleeing her own violent past.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025
The Grinch will also host an ugly sweater party with green pancakes, green hot chocolate, and grouchy crafts.
—Paula Conway, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
There’s Loto, who designed and maintains the canoe; Kele, the grouchy elder chef who prepares vegetables; and Moni, a young storyteller and Maui fanboy.
—Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for grouchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grouchy
Adjective
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However, such symptoms are hard to attribute to vaccines because infants can be irritable or fussy regardless of vaccination.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
19 Sep. 2025
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When the caffeine wears off, children may have a headache and feel irritable or tired.—
Dr. Mark Corkins,
Boston Herald,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The company’s movement language—restless, precise, elastic—has built a home for stories that were long told elsewhere, or not at all.—
Skylar Mitchell,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
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Their deeper role is to host inquietud—the restless desire to know more, to question assumptions, to look for connections across disciplines and geographies.—
Javier Garcia del Moral
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Mika takes a job teaching three young witches, and getting to know a grumpy and overprotective librarian, Jamie, who is also in charge of their care.—
Audrey Goldberg Ruoff,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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Brooks is a grumpy NYPD detective trying to track down the mom, while Higgins is Brooks’ cop partner.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Attend the Fiddler Crab Festival Every February over Presidents’ Day weekend, the three-day Fiddler Crab Festival brings crabby fun and community pride to Steinhatchee.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
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Her dissatisfaction with her crabby old husband drives her into the same state of amorous turmoil that Vanya and Sonya find themselves in.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Barnes is displeased with how the events have ultimately unfolded.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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The green-and-gold faithful were again displeased as UTSA took over in Rams territory.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Sep. 2025
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But the election highlights a San Francisco in flux and a still cranky, even emboldened electorate as leaders prepare to make tough decisions about the city’s future.—
Janie Har,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Trying to Kill Each Other' And Walken is marvelous — querulous, petty, cruel — as the Emperor.—
Tom Gliatto,
Peoplemag,
29 Feb. 2024
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Instead, Gerwig and Baumbach promote querulous sloganeering.—
Armond White,
National Review,
19 July 2023
Adjective
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Now, Darvish will get to pitch in front of a stadium of screaming, hopeful, nervous Cubs fans.—
Jon Greenberg,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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If presidents are stars on the stage of world history, vice presidents are nervous understudies hidden away behind the scenes.—
Book Marks
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grouchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grouchy. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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