sorehead 1 of 2

adjective

variants or soreheaded
Definition of soreheadnext
as in unpleasant

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sorehead

2 of 2

noun

as in killjoy

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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 sorehead
Noun
The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought perhaps the golden age of the sorehead. — Star Tribune, 16 Jan. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sorehead
  1. unpleasant
  2. killjoy
  3. sulky
  4. curmudgeon
  5. disagreeable
  6. malcontent
  7. embittered
  8. spoilsport
Adjective
  • Still, some unpleasant times may loom for the entities that depend on property tax revenue.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • Taking the time to clean vent covers also prevents buildup that can lead to unpleasant odors, extra noise, or premature wear on your heating and cooling system.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 July 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Noun
  • In the end, at the risk of sounding like a killjoy, a real way to save the planet and save money is to just buy and produce less.
    — Kara McGrath, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Which poem, and why did the killjoys at the magazine turn it down?
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of killjoy
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
  • 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
Definition of sulky
Noun
  • Ancelotti was painted, in about 50,000 different ways, as an arch curmudgeon, a villain who would stop at nothing to thwart every life plan Endrick ever dreamed up.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 25 June 2026
  • In the new horror-comedy series, Root portrays a curmudgeon trying to convince Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) not to open their small island up to tourism.
    — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026
Definition of curmudgeon
Adjective
  • There are also a lot of people who have never dreamed of being disagreeable in public, much less considered joining a raucous social movement.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
  • The disagreeable object proved no match for the most fertile person in Montana.
    — Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of disagreeable
Noun
  • The usual malcontents raised hell when the Public Service Commission approved a $7 billion rate hike in 2025, but that’s the cost of maintaining and improving the grid.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Pencil the former Vikings, Texans, and Bills malcontent in for 48 yards and no TDs.
    — Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of malcontent
Adjective
  • Paul Giamatti playing a man who has grown increasingly embittered but is soft at his core?
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 23 June 2026
  • So that journey from being an embittered, grumpy, individual turns into something incredibly progressive, beautiful and quite life-affirming.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 14 June 2026
Definition of embittered
Noun
  • The first thing Sweetpea does, after ditching her spoilsport colleague at the hotel, is pay a visit to SwiftGC, a payment processor recently acquired by Tender.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Granted, this might simply be an old-fashioned spoilsport way to view the market.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
Definition of spoilsport

Browse Nearby Words

sore
sorehead
soreheads
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Cite this Entry

“Sorehead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sorehead. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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