petulant

adjective

pet·​u·​lant ˈpe-chə-lənt 

1

: characterized by impatience and grumpy annoyance : irritable

a petulant tantrum/outburst

The person most capable of running a group of obscenely wealthy, often petulant twentysomethings is an obscenely wealthy, petulant manager.

—Roy S. Johnson

"What is it all about?" cried Dorian in his petulant way, flinging himself down on the sofa.

—Oscar Wilde

Sidney sighed and went downstairs for the baby. It never would have occurred to her to protest or be petulant about it.

—L. M. Montgomery

also : suggesting such an emotional state

Tiny and brooding, with a petulant little mouth …

—Janet Reitman

2

: showing or tending to show an attitude of haughty annoyance

… too much of his book is devoted to petulant criticism of Egyptologists and museum officials.

—Malcolm W. Browne

Sometimes, under … rapid-fire questioning, he became petulant and quibbled over words in a way that suggested a close reading of the law.

—Frances FitzGerald

petulantly adverb

Did you know?

Petulant Has Latin Roots

Petulant may have changed its meaning over the years, but it has retained its status as “word most people would not use to describe themselves in a job interview.” Hailing from Middle French and Latin, petulant began its English tenure in the late 16th century with the meaning recorded in our unabridged dictionary as “wanton or immodest in speech or behavior”—in other words, “lewd” or “obscene.” The word eventually softened, at least somewhat, from describing those who are forward in—shall we say—prurient ways, to those who are forward by being merely rude and angrily bold. Today the word is most commonly used to describe someone acting snippy and snippety, snappish and snappy, displaying an often childish ill or short temper of the kind that tends to arise from annoyance at not getting one’s way.

Synonyms of petulant

• irritable
• fiery

Examples of petulant in a Sentence

Oxford's denial of her [Margaret Thatcher's] honorary degree in 1984 was no petulant fluke but an accurate measure of her unpopularity with the whole profession. —Harold Perkin, Times Literary Supplement, 26 June 1992

In the hot, petulant little cockpit she was triumphant—drunk with anger, defiance, and the beginnings of relief. —Sebastian Faulks, Independent on Sunday (London), 25 Nov. 1990

Sometimes, under … rapid-fire questioning, he became petulant and quibbled over words in a way that suggested a close reading of the law. —Frances FitzGerald, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 1989

Mouth petulant but its hardness in it, behind it. Looking at that mouth you felt her teeth in you … —Jayne Anne Phillips, Black Tickets, (1975) 1979

Her tone was petulant and angry.

a petulant and fussy man who is always blaming everyone else for his problems

Recent Examples on the Web

The petulant, back-stabby intrigue between various parties here sometimes makes the hero rather unsympathetic, with photogenic singer-actor Pena Hernandez’s puppyish turn not conveying a great deal of complexity, let alone artistic o intellectual potential. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025

Tom Hulce portrayed the musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a petulant, bratty young genius with a distinctive laugh, insatiable appetite and endless talent. —Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025

Wyeth is a little petulant at first about the biographical piece of it. —Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025

Heroine Elizabeth is famous for her own refusals, but she’s actually first caught in the middle of two acts of petulant male defiance. —Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "immodest, impudent," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, "lively, impudent," borrowed from Latin petulant-, petulans "impudent, self-assertive, immodest," perhaps re-formation (as a present participle) of *petulus, adjective derivative of petere "to make for (with hostile intent), seek to" with -ulus, suffix denoting repeated or prolonged action; modern senses (since the 18th century) probably by association with pet entry 4, pettish — more at feather entry 1

First Known Use

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

petulant

adjective

pet·​u·​lant ˈpech-ə-lənt 

: marked by displays of rudeness or ill temper

petulantly adverb