as in cantankerous
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for cross-grained
Adjective
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The cantankerous bird perked up — just like his plumage — when taken off public display.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2025 -
The story isn't linear and sometimes the character's main motivation can be reduced to the moodiness of cantankerous old men.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Trump and his supporters prefer a happy history, a pleasant history that arouses patriotism by overlooking disagreeable people and despicable events that sully the nation’s reputation and mar the magnificence of the American story.—
William C. Hine,
Twin Cities,
23 July 2025
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Marina’s imperious grandmother (Marina Troncoso) is a disagreeable snob, more concerned with getting a mani-pedi or keeping leaves out of her precious swimming pool than getting to know her granddaughter.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
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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Even though his bloodwork looked normal six months previously, sudden onset or acute renal failure can happen in an old dog for no apparent reason other than age and result in bilious vomiting.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2025
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Under Nézet-Séguin, the musicians do the job spectacularly, releasing all those bilious harmonies and seething rhythms in an unbroken two-hour spasm of excitement.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That is, until an ornery cow named Daisy kicks over a lantern and ignites a fire that quickly engulfs the Windy City.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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The outcome is a fire ant that has the strength and ornery disposition of the fiercer red fire ant with the better tolerance of colder temperatures found in black fire ants.—
Gareth McGrath,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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This is because, little under a year after being handed a landslide majority by the U.K. electorate, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government is deeply unpopular and thrashing around for ways to appease a surly and resentful public.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
11 June 2025
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This is exactly the productive, surly, still-in-his-prime player this team needs down the middle.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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Asked whether Skydance, which is in the process of buying Paramount Global, parent company of his network Comedy Central, would cancel the irascible talk show, Stewart essentially shrugged his shoulders.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
17 July 2025
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Where to watch: Netflix 'Madea's Destination Wedding' (July 11) Tyler Perry writes, directs and reprises his signature role in the comedy as the elderly and irascible Madea.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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Thousands of people — displaced by disaster, their past lives gone up in smoke — are hostage to the whims of a peevish president who always puts his feelings first and cares nothing for the greater good.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2025
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On a less peevish note: The entry is making its New York Times Crossword debut.—
Sam Corbin,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cross-grained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cross-grained. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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