as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of petulance
Jimmy Butler did not have to consider the fallout of petulance because he already was known as petulant.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2025
The synths sound terrible now, and the petulance is creeping in, which does him no favors.
—Christopher Bonanos, Vulture, 18 July 2025
For all his bombast online, for instance, Marcus has said that today’s chatbots are a legitimate breakthrough, just far from the breakthrough; for all of Altman’s petulance, OpenAI’s latest large reasoning models rely on new approaches not so dissimilar from Marcus’s own, decades-old ideas.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025
That’s not true, of course, just like Trump’s claims about the media were just thin cover for his petulance.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2025
The synths sound terrible now, and the petulance is creeping in, which does him no favors.
—Christopher Bonanos, Vulture, 18 July 2025
For all his bombast online, for instance, Marcus has said that today’s chatbots are a legitimate breakthrough, just far from the breakthrough; for all of Altman’s petulance, OpenAI’s latest large reasoning models rely on new approaches not so dissimilar from Marcus’s own, decades-old ideas.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025
That’s not true, of course, just like Trump’s claims about the media were just thin cover for his petulance.
—Chris Brennan, USA Today, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulance
Noun
-
Sleep deprivation also disrupts mood regulation, often leading to anxiety, irritability or depression.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Like regular depression, SAD can cause negative feelings like hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, and guilt; fatigue or reduced energy; a loss of interest in hobbies and activities; and even physical aches and pains (including headaches, cramps, and digestive problems).—
Maggie O'Neill,
SELF,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Although the balloon incident has not been directly linked to Moscow, Lithuania's border closures add to tensions spiked by accusations of Russian incursions into NATO airspace amid Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Because taking league matches to America, Australia, Saudi Arabia or anywhere else would be an act of aggression.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulance. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share