1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a grumpy neighbor whose yard we had long ago learned not to trespass
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
the baby's sure to be grumpy if she doesn't get her afternoon nap
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grumpy
The home crowd, grumpy and disillusioned a few weeks earlier, are now cheering the team off the pitch.
—
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
All the fresh ingredients, inventive recipes, meticulous plating and glorious design means nothing if my food is served by a grumpy waiter or if my water glass is dirty.
—Lynne Sullivan, The Providence Journal, 15 Feb. 2026
And who doesn’t relish the gothic details of an ancient manor and grumpy yet uniquely attractive duke that owns it?
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Then there was the grumpy forty-something.
—John Winsor, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grumpy
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
All the fresh ingredients, inventive recipes, meticulous plating and glorious design means nothing if my food is served by a grumpy waiter or if my water glass is dirty.
—Lynne Sullivan, The Providence Journal, 15 Feb. 2026
And who doesn’t relish the gothic details of an ancient manor and grumpy yet uniquely attractive duke that owns it?
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Then there was the grumpy forty-something.
—John Winsor, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grumpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grumpy
Adjective
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Rather than get irritable online, Medeiros did something positive about it.—
Dan Medeiros,
The Herald News,
27 Feb. 2026
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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
-
Conversations stalled after 30 seconds, and the energy in the place was restless, performative, and slightly desperate.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 Mar. 2026
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In the spring of 1993, a group of restless Cartoon Network employees, led by VP of programming and TBS lifer Mike Lazzo, wanted to inject original programming targeted for adults into a rote repertory schedule of Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That Utah rideshare driver, however, was justifiable more grouchy.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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Flockhart is equally supportive of Ford, having expressed her joy at watching her husband’s performance as the grouchy, oft-deadpan therapist.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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
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Regardless, writers seem quite displeased with the dust-up between their guild and its staff.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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There was a beat of nervous confusion as Palmer declined his advances.—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
Cite this Entry
“Grumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grumpy. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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