Synonyms of grumpy

grumpy

adjective

ˈgrəm-pē 

1

as in irritable

easily irritated or annoyed

a grumpy neighbor whose yard we had long ago learned not to trespass

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritable
• fiery
• grouchy
• irascible
• peevish
• petulant
• snappish
• crabby
• crotchety
• cranky
• testy
• waspish
• snarky
• pettish
• cross
• choleric
• snippy
• short-tempered
• passionate
• raspy
• stuffy
• out of humor
• out of sorts
• sensitive
• cantankerous
• quick-tempered
• ratty
• ornery
• surly
• curmudgeonly
• prickly
• querulous
• perverse
• snippety
• snarly
• dyspeptic
• disagreeable
• short
• belligerent
• snappy
• bilious
• fretful
• contentious
• pugnacious
• sulky
• combative
• argumentative
• tetchy
• ill-tempered
• bellicose
• sullen
• quarrelsome
• pouty
• ill-humored
• truculent
• fractious
• ill-natured
• huffy
• scrappy
• bearish
• disputatious
• cross-grained
• touchy
• off-color
• thin-skinned
• hot-blooded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• friendly
• affable
• gregarious
• outgoing
• cordial
• genial
• sociable
• amiable
• sweet
• extroverted
• companionable
• good-natured
• agreeable
• carefree
• easygoing
• relaxed
• good-tempered
• patient
• stoic
• tolerant
• well-disposed
• long-suffering
• uncomplaining
• forbearing
• understanding
• happy-go-lucky
• obliging

2

as in restless

given to complaining a lot

the baby's sure to be grumpy if she doesn't get her afternoon nap

Synonyms & Similar Words

• restless
• grouchy
• irritable
• displeased
• querulous
• crabby
• nervous
• cranky
• dissatisfied
• fussy
• uneasy
• disgruntled
• fidgety
• twitchy
• squirmy
• discontented
• wiggly
• fretful
• restive
• antsy
• cantankerous
• irascible
• ornery
• peevish
• petulant
• snappish
• crotchety
• wriggly
• worrisome
• testy
• waspish
• cross
• pettish
• choleric
• snippy
• short-tempered
• quick-tempered
• perverse
• snappy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• patient
• stoic
• tolerant
• long-suffering
• uncomplaining
• amiable
• forbearing
• good-natured
• gracious
• affable
• agreeable
• good-humored
• genial
• complaisant
• good-tempered
• obliging
• accommodating
• easygoing
• well-disposed
• relaxed
• laid-back

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of grumpy

Cats used to be the internet’s punchline, as grainy clips of keyboard solos and grumpy faces dropped into our feeds for a quick laugh. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Lorelai seemed fated to end up with Luke (Scott Patterson), the grumpy-with-a-heart-of-gold diner owner. — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 24 July 2026

Depp popped out as Ebenezer Scrooge to give the crowd a monologue that was difficult to understand — but most people would expect that Scrooge said something grumpy and anti-Christmas. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 23 July 2026

Could the court compel the moose to become squinty-eyed and grumpy? — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026