as in crab
an irritable and complaining person
that old sourpuss must spend all his time making sure no one traipses across his lawn
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Recent Examples of sourpuss
And Brightman, who’s built a reputation playing wilder roles, shows his range by going straightfaced as the sourpuss fish out of water.
—
Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
The Republicans sat like stubborn sourpusses eager for the 81-year-old president to stumble.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
Four generations on, the Grinch’s humble roots on the page as a black-and-white sourpuss, looking down on Who-ville and rueing the impending town feast, have become a Christmas cottage industry.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2020
The suggestion turns me into Schrödinger's sourpuss: neither angry nor disappointed but a superposition of both.
—Tom Simonite, Wired, 18 Feb. 2020
Even a sourpuss like Heifetz let his hair down madly dashing through the finale like a child’s first moments at Disneyland.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2019
Reeves shoulders the dual roles of twin brothers with markedly divergent personalities: peevish sourpuss John and sweet-natured James, who is deep into a losing battle with AIDS.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
According to the Washington Post, a jury awarded famed sourpuss Grumpy Cat $710,000 in damages on Monday, settling a lawsuit that began in 2015 between the cat’s company and the Grenade beverage company.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE.com, 25 Jan. 2018
To most Internet users, Grumpy Cat - the feline with a furry frown - is a minor celebrity that capitalized on the popularity of memes in 2012 as a perpetual sourpuss.
—The Washington Post, OregonLive.com, 25 Jan. 2018
Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
The Republicans sat like stubborn sourpusses eager for the 81-year-old president to stumble.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
Four generations on, the Grinch’s humble roots on the page as a black-and-white sourpuss, looking down on Who-ville and rueing the impending town feast, have become a Christmas cottage industry.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2020
The suggestion turns me into Schrödinger's sourpuss: neither angry nor disappointed but a superposition of both.
—Tom Simonite, Wired, 18 Feb. 2020
Even a sourpuss like Heifetz let his hair down madly dashing through the finale like a child’s first moments at Disneyland.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2019
Reeves shoulders the dual roles of twin brothers with markedly divergent personalities: peevish sourpuss John and sweet-natured James, who is deep into a losing battle with AIDS.
—Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
According to the Washington Post, a jury awarded famed sourpuss Grumpy Cat $710,000 in damages on Monday, settling a lawsuit that began in 2015 between the cat’s company and the Grenade beverage company.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE.com, 25 Jan. 2018
To most Internet users, Grumpy Cat - the feline with a furry frown - is a minor celebrity that capitalized on the popularity of memes in 2012 as a perpetual sourpuss.
—The Washington Post, OregonLive.com, 25 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sourpuss
Noun
-
My wallet, however, does not love the price of fresh crab.—
Sheela Prakash,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 June 2026
-
For the people at the table who are just along for the ride, there are sandwiches, steaks and pastas, which keeps the meal from turning into a negotiation over who likes crab.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Instead of pushing through pain and not speaking up for fear they'll be labeled weak or a complainer, this generation is more inclined to listen to their bodies, advocate for themselves, and address the issue through the proper resources.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
10 June 2026
-
However, the Lakers are complainers to begin with and have always gotten a favorable whistle.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The clear 20-ounce cup came with a lid attached to a straw in Starbucks' signature green hue that looked like a beanie sitting on the bear's head.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
-
The latest iteration of the glass cups are pink and features the bear wearing a hat with a strawberry straw topper.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
Noun
-
With a turn of a crank, Edison astonished the dozen or so staffers who had gathered around the contraption.—
Ron Cowen,
Scientific American,
3 June 2026
-
Visitors will be welcomed to visit the pop-up book and rotate a crank that flips through the pages, providing a behind-the-scenes look into what makes Philly’s Chinatown so vibrant.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
But the effervescent stage show, from creator Cinco Paul and director-choreographer Christoper Gattelli, is all but irresistible — a giddy love letter to the form that’s enough to turn even the most skeptical curmudgeon into a walking heart-eye emoji.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While Hockney worked, Auden, as the artist recalled, played the part of the impatient, irritable grump.—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
-
Youngman said Adelman was misunderstood and mischaracterized as something of a grump without personality.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sourpuss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sourpuss. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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