grouchy

adjective

ˈgrau̇-chē 

grouchier; grouchiest

: given to grumbling : peevish

grouchily

ˈgrau̇-chə-lē 

adverb

grouchiness

ˈgrau̇-chē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• choleric
• crabby
• cranky
• cross
• crotchety
• fiery
• grumpy
• irascible
• irritable
• peevish
• perverse
• pettish
• petulant
• prickly
• quick-tempered
• raspy
• ratty
• short-tempered
• snappish
• snappy
• snarky
• snippety
• snippy
• stuffy
• testy
• waspish

Examples of grouchy in a Sentence

I get grouchy when I'm tired.

a lack of sleep would make anyone grouchy

Recent Examples on the Web

The only people who can help Sara and Devin are Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), a grouchy mountain man, and Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), a mute Shoshone girl fleeing her own violent past. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2025

The Grinch will also host an ugly sweater party with green pancakes, green hot chocolate, and grouchy crafts. —Paula Conway, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

There’s Loto, who designed and maintains the canoe; Kele, the grouchy elder chef who prepares vegetables; and Moni, a young storyteller and Maui fanboy. —Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 27 Nov. 2024

The energy of the performances — from Aduba’s deadpan forthrightness to the more antic work by comedians like Marino and Jane Curtin (as the president’s grouchy mother-in-law) — and the rat-a-tat style of all the conversations carries the day. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1895, in the meaning defined above