1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a lack of sleep would make anyone grouchy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
a grouchy kid who refuses to eat his vegetables
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grouchy
Oscar’s grouchy shell hides a strangely tender soul, which is classic Scorpio.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
Townsend will play Norm Stinson, an excellent (and grouchy) veteran basketball coach who knows how to get the best out of his teams, but not always how to communicate.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Leading up to kickoff of Belichick’s debut at Chapel Hill, college football, this community and certainly the TV networks were thrilled with the prospect of this grouchy old man turning an irrelevant football team into something worth watching.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
When Vivian Powers went to foster a new kitten, she was pulled in by a cat's grouchy face.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grouchy
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
Townsend will play Norm Stinson, an excellent (and grouchy) veteran basketball coach who knows how to get the best out of his teams, but not always how to communicate.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2025
Leading up to kickoff of Belichick’s debut at Chapel Hill, college football, this community and certainly the TV networks were thrilled with the prospect of this grouchy old man turning an irrelevant football team into something worth watching.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
When Vivian Powers went to foster a new kitten, she was pulled in by a cat's grouchy face.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for grouchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grouchy
Adjective
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Most cases clear up on their own without complications, but parents should contact a doctor if a child cannot keep fluids down, has a high fever lasting more than a few days or seems unusually drowsy or irritable.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
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Also known as irritable hip, the condition is due to inflammation of the hip joint lining.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Unlike restless Nora, Agnes is married with a son, able to view her deeply flawed dad from the vantage point of both a daughter and mother.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Many knitters describe the activity as a way to channel anxious or restless energy into something tangible.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And Carol is really taking to the task, grumpy throughout the two-minute trailer, while the world tries and fails to turn her frown upside down.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
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But, wishes aside, Patterson was cast as Danes, the grumpy but kindhearted diner owner at the heart of the show’s romance between his character and Lauren Graham’s Lorelai Gilmore.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Leah stayed crabby through dinner.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Alabama held Arkansas to a season-low 48 points Sunday, and the result left Musick displeased.—
Ethan Westerman,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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Denver head coach David Adelman was displeased with the Nuggets’ disposition on Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
You, me, a cranky little guy with white boots, a guy whose company was rife with Medicaid fraud.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Jan. 2026
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The Holdovers Set in 1970s New England, The Holdovers follows a cranky prep school teacher (Paul Giamatti) who reluctantly supervises students stuck on campus over Christmas break.—
Lydia Price,
PEOPLE,
23 Dec. 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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From a portable power bank to keep your phone charged to noise-canceling headphones that will drown out stressful sounds, these travel accessories will help nervous fliers and frequent travelers alike have easier journeys.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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But now there's a new robo-tech in town, and my Roadie 3 is looking very nervous indeed.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grouchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grouchy. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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