as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a petulant and fussy man who is always blaming everyone else for his problems
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 petulant
Even Pontius seems to have dropped his petulant glare for the time being.
—
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
The Associated Press and Reuters, two of the largest and most respected worldwide news agencies, were blocked from covering President Donald Trump’s petulant confrontation with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Feb. 28.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2025
During his rise to fame in the Eighties, Val Kilmer garnered a reputation among his peers and the media as a brooding young actor who was often petulant on set.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025
Laurie is petulant and dishonest.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulant
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
The Associated Press and Reuters, two of the largest and most respected worldwide news agencies, were blocked from covering President Donald Trump’s petulant confrontation with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Feb. 28.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2025
During his rise to fame in the Eighties, Val Kilmer garnered a reputation among his peers and the media as a brooding young actor who was often petulant on set.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025
Laurie is petulant and dishonest.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulant
Adjective
-
It is believed to reduce pain and inflammation, and has been used for treatment of back pain, high blood pressure, arthritis, migraines, and irritable bowel disease.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
4 Apr. 2025
-
And even in what was a stilted match played in an increasingly irritable atmosphere, Rogers and Tielemans delivered with an assist each.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Her quirky sense of humor and passion for her career align with the zodiac sign Aries, whose fiery spirit can relate.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
11 May 2025
-
The fiery collision involved a tour bus and a Nissan SUV.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petulant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulant. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share