as in irritable
having or showing a habitually bad temper
an ornery old man who always yells at the neighborhood kids to keep off his lawn
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Recent Examples of ornery
Meanwhile, eighty-three-year-old Harrison Ford earned his first Emmy nod for his role as the ornery therapist on the show Shrinking.
—
Taylor Wilson, USA Today, 16 July 2025
That is, until an ornery cow named Daisy kicks over a lantern and ignites a fire that quickly engulfs the Windy City.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 3 July 2025
But when Chief, the ornery stray, gets overruled into helping his pack assist a boy who’s crash-landed on their trash island, Cranston really nails it.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Kitty: And grandpa, oh, who is like a lovely but ornery Irish man,
Sean: takes one look at the Harry Krishnas, looks at dad like, looks at the Christians again.
—Outside Online, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornery
Taylor Wilson, USA Today, 16 July 2025
That is, until an ornery cow named Daisy kicks over a lantern and ignites a fire that quickly engulfs the Windy City.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 3 July 2025
But when Chief, the ornery stray, gets overruled into helping his pack assist a boy who’s crash-landed on their trash island, Cranston really nails it.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Kitty: And grandpa, oh, who is like a lovely but ornery Irish man,
Sean: takes one look at the Harry Krishnas, looks at dad like, looks at the Christians again.
—Outside Online, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ornery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ornery
Adjective
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He was adopted two weeks later, but after 18 months in his home, Scoob developed a painful skin condition that caused his ears to bleed and left him extremely irritable.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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Instead, Helen is allowed to be irritable and anti-social, chain-smoking and snappish, without the filmmaker casting judgment.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But Newsom seems to have found his footing nationally by catering to angry anti-Trump Democrats, his conciliatory remarks in the aftermath of Kirk’s shooting notwithstanding.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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For example, long wait times, high prices and confusing models have left people angry with the car sales industry.—
Brandon Aversano,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Tudyk played Sonny, a robot who helps the cantankerous detective uncover the truth behind his creator's death.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
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Advertisement Johnson anticipates more challenges from his cantankerous colleagues.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In the span of a few months rehabbing in Los Angeles in 2023, an oft-surly 40-year-old quarterback became pals with a 25-year-old goofball of a running back.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
30 Aug. 2025
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As a documentary subject, Hersh is thoroughly engaging — by turns charming, surly and vulnerable.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That continues when the matriarch finally passes away 20 years later, leaving equally bilious offspring Laras (Dinda Kanyadewi) in charge.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
6 Aug. 2025
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Even though his bloodwork looked normal six months previously, sudden onset or acute renal failure can happen in an old dog for no apparent reason other than age and result in bilious vomiting.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Over the weekend, reports emerged that the higher tariffs followed a disagreeable Thursday phone call between Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Trump — which Swiss officials rejected, according to Reuters.—
Sophie Kiderlin,Jenni Reid,
CNBC,
4 Aug. 2025
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Trump and his supporters prefer a happy history, a pleasant history that arouses patriotism by overlooking disagreeable people and despicable events that sully the nation’s reputation and mar the magnificence of the American story.—
William C. Hine,
Twin Cities,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ornery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ornery. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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