as in cantankerous
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Recent Examples of curmudgeonly
Berry's name and face may not be as familiar to American audiences as Offerman's, who became so well known as the curmudgeonly Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation.
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Van Pelt’s giant Pacific octopus narrator — wry, curmudgeonly, deeply observant — is the beating heart of the book.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
And what of the gently curmudgeonly man of letters who runs an after-school study room for children, tutoring them in everything from multiplication tables to Victor Hugo?
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
Sybil lives alone and spends her days fountain-penning personal letters and occasional emails that tell the story of her loves, losses, sorrows and deep regrets, through her alternately curmudgeonly and generous-hearted persona.
—Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2026
Best of all, this film has Leslie Nielsen, playing the curmudgeonly father of Goss’ Chris.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Anna immediately clocks that Larry, a curmudgeonly old man transported back to his younger self, is in for a tough ride.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 20 Nov. 2025
Diporto has no menu—dishes are read out by the curmudgeonly but beloved proprietor Dimitris Koliolios.
—Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025
The Leafs winger leans more on the delightfully curmudgeonly side.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Van Pelt’s giant Pacific octopus narrator — wry, curmudgeonly, deeply observant — is the beating heart of the book.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
And what of the gently curmudgeonly man of letters who runs an after-school study room for children, tutoring them in everything from multiplication tables to Victor Hugo?
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
Sybil lives alone and spends her days fountain-penning personal letters and occasional emails that tell the story of her loves, losses, sorrows and deep regrets, through her alternately curmudgeonly and generous-hearted persona.
—Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2026
Best of all, this film has Leslie Nielsen, playing the curmudgeonly father of Goss’ Chris.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Anna immediately clocks that Larry, a curmudgeonly old man transported back to his younger self, is in for a tough ride.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 20 Nov. 2025
Diporto has no menu—dishes are read out by the curmudgeonly but beloved proprietor Dimitris Koliolios.
—Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025
The Leafs winger leans more on the delightfully curmudgeonly side.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curmudgeonly
Adjective
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Paramount+ announced on April 2 that the Succession actor is returning to television, scoring his first major role since portraying the cantankerous patriarch Logan Roy.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The baritone, Vincent Casagrande, a marvelously cantankerous Prisoner, tells us only sick people dream, and of course everyone on stage automatically enters a dream state.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The rabbi is ornery, arrogant, sometimes cruel.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
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For ornery toddlers, who want to do everything themselves, Rao suggests giving them their own toothbrush to use while parents brush their teeth with a second one right alongside them.—
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall,
Popular Science,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
And who could blame these romantic dreamers for wanting to cast aside the surly bonds of Earth to visit the pale beauty of our cratered satellite?—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The seven-time Most Valuable Player, a reluctant and at times surly interview subject during his days with the Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates, showed his more excited and expansive side.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Better is Danny Elfman’s spartan and fraught score, particularly the dyspeptic drums.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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But Kael sensed in her less dyspeptic moments that there was something special about Redford.—
Stephen Galloway,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Their first conversation is comically lopsided, and McKellen, purring his way through what is effectively a monologue, lays the groundwork for his most vividly inhabited and hilariously irascible performance in years.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Antonia has also wound up with her family, including her grandmother, an irascible old woman who is both Antonia’s role model and perhaps chief antagonist.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Arteta can strike a crotchety figure in post-match interviews, particularly when his team have dropped points.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The tale she’s lived to tell emerges, for all its crotchety complaints, from a place of unerring loyalty.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Another bill would put regulations around data centers, although lawmakers in the final days stripped out some of the language that tech companies found disagreeable.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
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The day was cold and disagreeable, disappointing those who hoped for warm, sunny weather for the contest between Bogardus and Carver.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Curmudgeonly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curmudgeonly. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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