as in sulkiness
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Recent Examples of surliness
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
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surliness
Noun
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So there’s a feeling of vindictiveness and petulance that’s in there, but there’s also a practicality to it, too.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Sep. 2025
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In an obvious display of childish petulance, a significant number of Democratic representatives in Texas abandoned their jobs and responsibilities to the voters by fleeing to Illinois.—
For the Carroll County Times,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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For example, a few kids experience increased hyperactivity or irritability in the first couple of weeks, but that typically subsides within a month.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
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Be prepared for temporary withdrawal effects like irritability and anxiety.—
Sarah Bradley,
Health,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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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The one place Russia has effectively influenced is Europe, where NATO has expanded to include Finland and Sweden, and states have increased their military spending, courtesy of Russian belligerence.—
Jeremy Shapiro,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
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At the same time, observers in Washington and Seoul have become hopeful that growing public support in South Korea for developing an independent nuclear deterrent might provide Beijing with another compelling reason to renew its efforts to restrain the North’s belligerence.—
SHUXIAN LUO,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Surliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surliness. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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