as in pouty
given to or displaying a resentful silence and often irritability
stayed in a pouting mood until her boyfriend apologized, though he didn't have the vaguest idea what he was apologizing for
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
her lips pouted as she glared at him silently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frowning
to silently go about in a bad mood
pouted and didn't say a word to anyone all morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pouting
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
My introduction to Peters came late last year, when Instagram’s algorithm served me a video of him wearing a baseball cap, primping and pouting for the camera.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
He’s never been seen publicly pouting or seeming unhappy.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
At the bull riding, no one can have fun because Natalie is pouting because her fight attempt failed.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
This was followed by a shot of them all pouting as Landon and Alabama flashed peace signs and their dad took his turn to flip off the camera.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
Wasn’t blaming the losses on the players, wasn’t pouting about it.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
My introduction to Peters came late last year, when Instagram’s algorithm served me a video of him wearing a baseball cap, primping and pouting for the camera.
—Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
He’s never been seen publicly pouting or seeming unhappy.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
At the bull riding, no one can have fun because Natalie is pouting because her fight attempt failed.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025
This was followed by a shot of them all pouting as Landon and Alabama flashed peace signs and their dad took his turn to flip off the camera.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pouting
Adjective
-
Kelly made a pouty face at Correa, who started walking toward the Dodger dugout.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Chanelling Miss Sara Bellum from the Powerpuff Girls, her secretarial deep burgundy ringlets were cut into pouty bangs that almost totally concealed her eyes.—
Essence,
Essence,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Photos throughout the years show Maxwell's dark thin eyebrows, slightly protruding ears and thin lips that have a distinct shape when at rest.—
Layla Ferris,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
During wildlife surveys in 2022 and 2023 in eastern Thailand, a research team came across a small, nocturnal gecko with a triangular head and large, slightly protruding eyes.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The men stood frowning at each other and then back at Adi until the one without the gun broke into croaks of laughter.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Smiling can actually lift your mood, while frowning can lower it.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems, including feeling more irritable.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
It’s also built specifically for down jackets to keep the fill from poking through.—
Maggie Slepian,
Outside,
27 Feb. 2026
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Coogan was poking fun at tech companies’ impulse to name themselves after myths and parables, even when those myths and cultural artifacts have negative associations.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He was picked up first on meth charges on May 14, 1986, according to news reports and a San Francisco police booking photo, which shows him in a blue hoodie scowling into the camera.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Then there was that image circulating in the bowels of the internet that showed a man who looked exactly like JD scowling at an unidentifiable brunette woman in a restaurant.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Skillfully carrying the tale as Kimberly is Ann Morrison, marvelously placing the qualities of a bubbly when not sulky teen in the voice and body of an older woman.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
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Keep an eye out for chartreuses, browns, and bright sky blues, along with sulky mauves and beiges in a plaster finish.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The fire department has advised residents to look for signs that their properties may have been damaged or are at risk of collapse, such as cracks in bulging walls, fissures and stuck doors and windows.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
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The kids froze mid-mouthful, eyes bulging in horror at the thought of having to witness such a thing in the company of their parents.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pouting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pouting. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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