1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a lack of sleep would make anyone grouchy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
But for younger generations, Ron Howard's 2000 adaptation starring a ghoulishly grouchy Jim Carrey is just as essential.
—
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Dec. 2025
In last week's two-episode premiere we were introduced to the happiness pandemic that's spread around the world and the harrowing story of the one grouchy woman left to save the planet from unbridled happiness.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 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
See All Example Sentences for grouchy
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Dec. 2025
In last week's two-episode premiere we were introduced to the happiness pandemic that's spread around the world and the harrowing story of the one grouchy woman left to save the planet from unbridled happiness.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 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
See All Example Sentences for grouchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grouchy
Adjective
-
Rather than get irritable online, Medeiros did something positive about it.—
Dan Medeiros,
The Herald News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Manic episodes are described as prolonged periods of mood instability, in which a person can experience extreme increases in energy or euphoria, or alternatively, feel depressed or unusually irritable.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Long car rides can make for fussy, restless kids.—
Dr. Katherine Williamson,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
-
In my opinion, there’s nothing worse than a disruptive, restless sleep.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Is Cronin a mad genius, or just a grumpy, old man coaching basketball?—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
-
If your child acts grumpy and tired after school, wait to ask them how their day was.—
Margery D. Rosen,
Parents,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The show followed the destitute Cuylers — father Early, his illegitimate son Rusty, his meth-loving sister Lily, and his crabby grandmother Granny — and their various moneymaking high jinks.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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Lucy Van Pelt Lucy is the crabby kid who always has something up her sleeve.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Griffin eventually found out about the deception and was so displeased that Lorber had to intervene and take over the deal.—
James D. Walsh,
Curbed,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Regardless, writers seem quite displeased with the dust-up between their guild and its staff.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Lauren Michele Jackson, cultural critic, New Yorker staffer, and the author of White Negroes, finally weighed in with the One Battle After Another review this cranky sue has been waiting for.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
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As the frontman of the Pogues, he was heralded for his cranky, often tongue-in-cheek delivery of songs about the misadventures of Ireland’s residents.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
12 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
-
With companies pulling out because of trade uncertainty, workers are nervous about organizing, knowing that any friction risks further factory closures that could trigger more layoffs.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Mar. 2026
-
There was a beat of nervous confusion as Palmer declined his advances.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grouchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grouchy. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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