as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a petulant and fussy man who is always blaming everyone else for his problems
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Recent Examples of petulant
What Laxe has orchestrated is not a simplistic clash of cultures but a collective upending of fortunes in which the rulings of fate, or of Allah, prove too cruel and too permanent to trigger a petulant blame game.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025
The petulant, back-stabby intrigue between various parties here sometimes makes the hero rather unsympathetic, with photogenic singer-actor Pena Hernandez’s puppyish turn not conveying a great deal of complexity, let alone artistic o intellectual potential.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Tom Hulce portrayed the musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a petulant, bratty young genius with a distinctive laugh, insatiable appetite and endless talent.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Julia Garner has the most subtly complex role as Justine, who trembles in one moment and snaps into petulant fit the next.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulant
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025
The petulant, back-stabby intrigue between various parties here sometimes makes the hero rather unsympathetic, with photogenic singer-actor Pena Hernandez’s puppyish turn not conveying a great deal of complexity, let alone artistic o intellectual potential.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Tom Hulce portrayed the musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a petulant, bratty young genius with a distinctive laugh, insatiable appetite and endless talent.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Julia Garner has the most subtly complex role as Justine, who trembles in one moment and snaps into petulant fit the next.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulant
Adjective
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Manic episodes are described as prolonged periods of mood instability, in which a person can experience extreme increases in energy or euphoria, or alternatively, feel depressed or unusually irritable.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
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Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems, including feeling more irritable.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The seemingly out of nowhere coach who filled reporters’ notebooks with quips and fiery tirades was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1971.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
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Chopra paired the fiery look with a bold winter white catsuit and a statement coat.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Petulant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulant. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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