1
as in complainer
an irritable and complaining person
an uncle who is a real grouch when he's sick
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pouts
a state of resentful silence or irritability
having been proven wrong, he had a grouch on for hours afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whine
an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment
it wouldn't be a workday if we didn't hear his daily grouch about how bad the coffee is
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
always seems to be grouching about the weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of grouch
Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
It’s painted Ulrich as a public grouch ever since; the out-of-touch rich rock star who wants to fight for every dime.
—Ramon Ramirez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Lisa and Abe will always be grouches, but there is value in being the antithesis.
26.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024
Warm feelings fueled by the wonder and kindness of the season, inspired by the transformative and timeless experiences of Ebenezer Scrooge who changed from a selfish, penny-pinching grouch, into a generous, happy and altruistic person.
—Eric C. Shuster, Austin American-Statesman, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for grouch
Noun
The known grouch bent down and picked up the slipper, then started to talk to Edith.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
It’s painted Ulrich as a public grouch ever since; the out-of-touch rich rock star who wants to fight for every dime.
—Ramon Ramirez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Lisa and Abe will always be grouches, but there is value in being the antithesis.
26.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024
Warm feelings fueled by the wonder and kindness of the season, inspired by the transformative and timeless experiences of Ebenezer Scrooge who changed from a selfish, penny-pinching grouch, into a generous, happy and altruistic person.
—Eric C. Shuster, Austin American-Statesman, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for grouch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grouch
Noun
-
However, the Lakers are complainers to begin with and have always gotten a favorable whistle.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
The pervasive popularity of the show and its creator will be the reason the complainers have no voice.—
Rich Heldenfels,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Soto’s Marie pouts and squeals with abandon.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Collectively, we’re all obsessed with the perfect pouts created by celebrity makeup artist Nina Park, whose A-list clientele includes Zoë Kravitz, Emma Stone, Hailey Bieber, and more.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Lee's voice has always been Sui generis, a distinctive instrument caught between a whine and a yelp yet immediately recognizable.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
The guilt of a stack of unread books is a low constant whine at the back of your head.—
Philip Maymin,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
The move was met with outrage, with fans criticizing the singer for jumping the gun and complaining that the weather had cleared up before becoming too serious.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 June 2026
-
Leo is expected to meet survivors while in Spain, but several victims groups have complained that they have been left in the dark about when the meeting is taking place and whether they are invited.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The episode filmed in 2025 saw Hansen collapse on his Bering Sea crab fishing vessel; he was then rushed to the hospital, where doctors encouraged the ship captain to reconsider retirement.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
-
The Dungeness crab claw cocktail has all the tactile joy of a seafood boil.—
Colin Wrenn,
Denver Post,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Keep pets and predators away from the baby squirrels, and never attempt to feed or care for them on your own.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
7 June 2026
-
To avoid these issues, prune overgrown plants and trees regularly and pay particular attention to plants that have grown into walkways or that overhang areas where children and pets are active.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Savneet Talwar was reportedly suspended from teaching and is facing a disciplinary investigation following a student’s complaint about a case study assigned in April.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
9 June 2026
-
Enforcement of the zoning code would be complaint-driven, and violators would be given 30 days to comply with regulations.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
As if each of us isn’t a walking embodiment of our moment, clueless and attuned at once, screaming about one thing and in total denial about another.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
The first thing many visitors see from their airplane windows is the giant LUMEN screaming up through the Seattle gloom.—
Les Carpenter,
Washington Post,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grouch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grouch. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
