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
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
Brian Frutiger’s edgy tenor perfectly suits the querulous Dr. Caius.
—Dallas News, 2 Aug. 2022
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
Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2023
Brian Frutiger’s edgy tenor perfectly suits the querulous Dr. Caius.
—Dallas News, 2 Aug. 2022
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
-
Despite three tumultuous relocations in the past half-century, most recently a defection to Sin City five years ago, the Raiders still have a rabid fan base — at Allegiant, every game day is Halloween — and the natives and transplants (including 62,080 attendees Sunday) are getting restless.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Recent celebratory concerts dedicated to the two have been sites not of reverence but of restless rediscovery.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Most cases clear up on their own without complications, but parents should contact a doctor if a child cannot keep fluids down, has a high fever lasting more than a few days or seems unusually drowsy or irritable.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Also known as irritable hip, the condition is due to inflammation of the hip joint lining.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
And Carol is really taking to the task, grumpy throughout the two-minute trailer, while the world tries and fails to turn her frown upside down.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
-
But, wishes aside, Patterson was cast as Danes, the grumpy but kindhearted diner owner at the heart of the show’s romance between his character and Lauren Graham’s Lorelai Gilmore.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
When Bey is displeased, however, the Spaniard is lucky to survive another day.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Needless to say, Cowboys fans were displeased with the loss, and so was one of the team's Super Bowl winners.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Townsend will play Norm Stinson, an excellent (and grouchy) veteran basketball coach who knows how to get the best out of his teams, but not always how to communicate.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Leading up to kickoff of Belichick’s debut at Chapel Hill, college football, this community and certainly the TV networks were thrilled with the prospect of this grouchy old man turning an irrelevant football team into something worth watching.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In 2024, Mark looked nervous watching Grace compete in a horse show.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Senior dogs, puppies, or nervous rescues may require specialized care.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
While the Tuesday elections were held in blue states, the margins of victory for Democrats and exit polling indicated that many voters are dissatisfied with the state of the economy and inflation.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Nine in 10 angry voters voted for Sherrill along with about 6 in 10 dissatisfied voters.—
Emily Guskin,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Leah stayed crabby through dinner.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Attend the Fiddler Crab Festival Every February over Presidents’ Day weekend, the three-day Fiddler Crab Festival brings crabby fun and community pride to Steinhatchee.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Querulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/querulous. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share