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

But with every diachronic update comes a new disruptor, and 5.0 offers up its own grumpy hero. Enter charming Nerd Face (Tuânminh Albert Ðo). —David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 30 Oct. 2024

But The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning mostly just uses its answering of any lingering questions (how did the grumpy old guy lose his legs? —Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024

Even missing just a few hours of sleep can turn the most stable person into a grumpy, unproductive mess the next day. —Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2024

But father and son aside, there are plenty of others in the picture that the grumpy Poppa will find himself at odds with this season, including Junior’s father-in-law, played by The Cosby Show’s Geoffrey Owens. —Nick Caruso, TVLine, 20 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above