grumpy

adjective

ˈgrəm-pē 

grumpier; grumpiest

: moodily cross : surly

grumpily

ˈgrəm-pə-lē 

adverb

grumpiness

ˈgrəm-pē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

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

Examples of grumpy in a Sentence

Our neighbor is a grumpy old man.

I was feeling grumpy after my long flight.

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s the young and bubbly Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) with her grumpy older boyfriend Rick (Walton Goggins), who is inexplicably miserable (and smoking). —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025

On board the boat, Saxon and Timothy clash with the grumpy Rick (Walton Goggins), who’s in Thailand for mysterious purposes with his younger girlfriend, the sweet, free-spirited Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). —Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2025

Harry would’ve been grumpy and rude, making brusque jokes about inane gender stereotypes and asking direct, invasive questions about anatomy. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025

Jackman fills his grumpy clawed icon with rage, guilt and snark, plus a bit of mischief, and is an f-bombing joy to behold. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above