as in cantankerous
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Recent Examples of curmudgeonly
The new arrival to the town, Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina) is a curmudgeonly grouch with a heart of gold, consumed with grief over his late wife, Lily (Jane Kaczmarek).
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Resistance to change can be chalked up to old curmudgeonly thinking, or sentimental attachment.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
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
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Resistance to change can be chalked up to old curmudgeonly thinking, or sentimental attachment.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curmudgeonly
Adjective
-
The cantankerous Jackson Lamb is back in a first look at season six of Slow Horses.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
-
The cantankerous Croatian lasted until November.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Leach also would publicly call out his players and could get ornery when questioned about his team’s shortcomings.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
The rabbi is ornery, arrogant, sometimes cruel.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Remember how in 2023 when swarms of these surly, entitled freeloaders suddenly materialized – in Terminal E, of all places.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
28 Nov. 2025
-
If those surly fans booed Patrick Henry and drowned out his performance, there would be war.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
20 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Currently, any dyspeptic neighbor can show up at the council meeting and help stop others’ building plans or extract concessions.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
For the first time, that includes In Living Color vet Kim Wayans, going large as irascible hospital staffer Nurse Ratchett.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
No true irascible aging genius worth his salt is without a ready supply of white socks brightening up the chest of drawers.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
1 June 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
-
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
-
The disagreeable object proved no match for the most fertile person in Montana.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
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 17 Jun. 2026.
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