QUERULOUS Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

querulous

adjective

ˈkwer-yə-ləs

Definition of querulous

as in restless

given to complaining a lot car trips that were frequently spoiled by a couple of querulous passengers in the back

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 querulous Trying to Kill Each Other' And Walken is marvelous — querulous, petty, cruel — as the Emperor. — Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 The most salutary change was Kelsey, who turned from Rigoletto to Amonasro, and who gave his trademark smoky tone and aura of threat to a role that, earlier in the month, George Gagnidze had rendered merely tight and querulous. — Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2023 One came across as a quiet, reserved, eloquent, thoughtful force of nature; the other as a boisterous, querulous, troublemaking and sometimes thoughtless and mean force of nature. — Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2022 Today those late, querulous paintings are counted among the most influential American artworks of the twentieth century. — Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 14 Jan. 2021 See All Example Sentences for querulous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for querulous

Adjective

Following the restless night, the animals’ sleep windows lengthened while their total REM-like time jumped from roughly nine minutes to seventeen.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Nov. 2026
Netflix’s org chart might be in crisis, and its subscribers are growing increasingly restless about the awful cadence of content worth caring about.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of restless

Adjective

And this new Godzilla, entirely computer-generated, is an irritable muscle of spikes and scales, or like a sort of angry gothic pineapple.

— Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026
Murray says her own experience has made her more understanding when female colleagues seem more tired or irritable than usual, particularly when the behavior is out of character.

— Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of irritable

Adjective

Ask to see the set that still remains—just watch out for the grumpy resident dog, who is best admired from afar.

— Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
Breakfast with the Grinch brings the belovedly grumpy character to the table for waffle stations, cookie decorating and plenty of festive photo ops.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of grumpy

Adjective

It was joined by many conservative voters who were dissatisfied with the Republican Party at the time.

— Brian Duignan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Nov. 2026
According to the outlet, this is the first time in the poll’s history since 2007 that more respondents were dissatisfied than satisfied with their personal financial situation.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of dissatisfied

Adjective

For the priests, this was a case of demonic possession due to witch-craft, and Mary’s crabby, aloof neighbor Elizabeth Jackson was the prime witch suspect.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
The show followed the destitute Cuylers — father Early, his illegitimate son Rusty, his meth-loving sister Lily, and his crabby grandmother Granny — and their various moneymaking high jinks.

— Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026

Definition of crabby

Browse Nearby Words

querists

querulous

querulousness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Querulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/querulous. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of querulous

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

boilerplate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes