as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of petulance
Perhaps Kevin Love, who had served as a locker-room (and social-media) buffer during the worst of times over Butler’s six weeks of Heat-ed petulance this season.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025
But the nearly invisible surveillance-style approach to capturing the survivalists seems to help both them and their pit crews (who must live and sleep at HQ) forget that they will be broadcast on national TV, allowing for some raw moments of petulance, fear, and questionable choices.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025
And Monday night’s show of frustration and occasional petulance at Stamford Bridge was precisely the kind of example Pereira does not need from a player supposed to set an example for others to follow.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Oh, the petulance, the bristling, the gnashing of teeth.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025
But the nearly invisible surveillance-style approach to capturing the survivalists seems to help both them and their pit crews (who must live and sleep at HQ) forget that they will be broadcast on national TV, allowing for some raw moments of petulance, fear, and questionable choices.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025
And Monday night’s show of frustration and occasional petulance at Stamford Bridge was precisely the kind of example Pereira does not need from a player supposed to set an example for others to follow.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Oh, the petulance, the bristling, the gnashing of teeth.
—Joe Soucheray, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulance
Noun
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Dehydration can worsen feelings of anxiety and irritability.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
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Common issues include sleep problems, appetite loss, irritability, and mood swings.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Omar Havana/Getty Images Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has formally approved the creation of a special international tribunal to prosecute senior Russian officials for the crime of aggression tied to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
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The new body will deal with the crime of aggression, specifically regarding the use of armed force by one state against another.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulance. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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