Synonyms of petulance

petulance

noun

ˈpe-chə-lən(t)s 

as in irritability

readiness to show annoyance or impatience

I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritability
• irritableness
• aggression
• anger
• indignation
• peevishness
• aggressiveness
• irascibility
• exasperation
• testiness
• hostility
• crankiness
• crossness
• grumpiness
• grouchiness
• perversity
• sensitivity
• perverseness
• huffiness
• biliousness
• rage
• wrath
• choler
• fury
• rudeness
• sulkiness
• pettishness
• belligerence
• surliness
• waspishness
• crotchetiness
• fretfulness
• pugnacity
• combativeness
• orneriness
• truculence
• disagreeableness
• cantankerousness
• bellicosity
• pugnaciousness
• feistiness
• irascibleness
• contentiousness
• contrariness
• querulousness
• belligerency
• fight
• dyspepsia
• animosity
• touchiness
• crustiness
• curmudgeonliness
• fussiness
• antagonism
• passion
• rancor
• fierceness
• scrappiness
• antipathy
• truculency
• jaundice
• supersensitivity
• quarrelsomeness
• unfriendliness
• spleen
• disputatiousness
• oversensitiveness
• hot-bloodedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tolerance
• understanding
• forbearance
• patience
• long-suffering
• affability
• geniality
• cordiality
• friendliness
• sociability
• agreeableness
• amicability
• amiability
• amiableness
• amenity
• coolness
• serenity
• gentleness
• good-naturedness
• tranquility
• mildness
• kindliness
• good-humoredness
• good-temperedness
• easygoingness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of petulance

Refund claims will certainly be made and sustained in the courts, so all the president’s petulance will accomplish is to cause delay and increase the government’s obligation to pay interest due on the refunds. — Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 22 Feb. 2026

Florida has had enough of pettiness, politic stunts and petulance. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026

True, its narrative was hard to follow, its dialogue abstruse, but why the petulance? — Peter Bart, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025

So there’s a feeling of vindictiveness and petulance that’s in there, but there’s also a practicality to it, too. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2025