curmudgeon

noun

cur·​mud·​geon (ˌ)kər-ˈmə-jən How to pronounce curmudgeon (audio)
1
: a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man
2
archaic : miser
curmudgeonliness noun
curmudgeonly adjective

Examples of curmudgeon in a Sentence

At his quirky best, the elder Cooper is a curmudgeon right out of central casting, grumpy old man meets borscht-belt crank. He really does fiddle with his hearing aid and yell, "What? I can't hear you," only to chide you afterward that there's no need to shout. Norah Vincent, New York Times Book Review, 19 Feb. 2006
We were in Edinburgh visiting the in-laws. I was, as usual, being a grumpy old curmudgeon. My people don't travel well. David Mamet, Jafsie and John Henry Essays, 1999
Oh, he had the reputation for being a curmudgeon, and he didn't suffer fools gladly, and often he seemed to have no tolerance for people at all. Robertson Davies, The Lyre of Orpheus, 1989
only a curmudgeon would object to the nursing home's holiday decorations
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Notorious curmudgeon and Steely Dan co-founder Fagen, who at first didn’t respond to his overtures. Pat Saperstein, Variety, 29 Nov. 2024 Mark, now long since passed, was a glorious curmudgeon. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2024 In Falling Together, Williams plays abundantly friendly Natalie opposite fellow Hallmark stalwart, Paul Campbell as Mark, a bit of a curmudgeon. Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2024 Some are curmudgeons, gossips, narcissists, and bullies. Heller McAlpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for curmudgeon 

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of curmudgeon was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near curmudgeon

Cite this Entry

“Curmudgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

curmudgeon

noun
cur·​mud·​geon kər-ˈməj-ən How to pronounce curmudgeon (audio)
: a grumpy and usually old man
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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