as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue
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Recent Examples of petulance
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
In an obvious display of childish petulance, a significant number of Democratic representatives in Texas abandoned their jobs and responsibilities to the voters by fleeing to Illinois.
—For The Carroll County Times, Baltimore Sun, 11 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2025
In an obvious display of childish petulance, a significant number of Democratic representatives in Texas abandoned their jobs and responsibilities to the voters by fleeing to Illinois.
—For The Carroll County Times, Baltimore Sun, 11 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulance
Noun
-
Even mild dehydration can lead to headaches, dry skin, dizziness, lower alertness, poor attention, irritability, and fatigue.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Mary does nothing to hide her irritability with him, something Metcalf conveys to perfection.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On Friday, the EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, urged European leaders to stand up to Russian aggression.—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The second half was a much different story as Punch maintained his confidence and aggression.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulance. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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