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

That changed in 1998, though, with the success of Becker (1998–2004), a CBS sitcom about a grumpy doctor that Danson starred on for six seasons. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 May 2025

Even as grumpy old men, each still very much has his soapbox. —Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

There’s Whitney Curry, the headstrong Black theater nerd in Love Requires Chocolate (August 2024), who studies abroad in Paris and quickly gets distracted by her grumpy soccer-playing French tutor. —Rachel McRady, People.com, 15 May 2025

Wilson and Marc Maron, who plays Pryce’s grumpy, long-suffering best bud (who is dealing with grief of his own), keep up the steady banter of two guys who know each other’s foibles and try to resist the urge to poke them. —Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for grumpy

• bumpy
• dumpy
• jumpy
• lumpy
• stumpy