as in sulkiness
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Recent Examples of surliness
Dani’s surliness has evaporated.
—
David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The Dolphins knew in the spring that Jalen Ramsey’s tardiness and surliness did not fit the culture that the organization wanted to build.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The Dolphins knew in the spring that Jalen Ramsey’s tardiness and surliness did not fit the culture that the organization wanted to build.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surliness
Noun
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But six months on against Liverpool, Paqueta’s petulance is a slap in the face to everyone associated with West Ham.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
1 Dec. 2025
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California voters acted with urgency, but implementation efforts have been met with petulance and parsimonious budgetary support that is barely one fourth of what is needed.—
Steve Smith,
Oc Register,
18 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Vince Gilligan moved to Apple and returned to his X-Files roots for the sci-fi horror dramatic comedy Pluribus, which used its ultra-mysterious and yet ultra-familiar genre trappings for a droll meditation on the eternal clash between collective joy and individual grouchiness.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Nov. 2025
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Emily is also struggling with Annabelle, who has inherited her mom’s attitude and the grouchiness of any adolescent forced to grow up with an Evolution Media camera crew in her home.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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While largely benign, motion sickness can be highly unpleasant — often causing nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, as well as sweating, headache, and irritability in some cases.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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Flu can impact children differently and present more general symptoms like irritability and general fussiness, or ear and stomach pain.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The most common symptoms of teething include drooling, putting fingers or fists in their mouth, swollen or puffy gums, difficulty sleeping, crankiness and fussiness, per the institution.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
19 Sep. 2025
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At one point, her crankiness about being underappreciated for her domestic efforts is blamed, without irony, on her period.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Corbett said the testiness started in Florida and returned with the team to Charlotte.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ramírez arrived in Amman at the moment when the fedayeen groups were at the height of their power and belligerence, and the kingdom was teetering on the brink of all-out conflict.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
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Advocates of trade barriers against China cite the country’s poor human rights record and its belligerence toward neighbors.—
Marc Joffe,
Oc Register,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Use disposable products like gauze or cotton swabs to gently remove build-up or crustiness.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surliness. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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