petulance

noun

pet·​u·​lance ˈpe-chə-lən(t)s 

: the quality or state of being petulant : peevishness

Synonyms

• biliousness
• choler
• crankiness
• crossness
• crotchetiness
• grouchiness
• grumpiness
• huffiness
• irascibility
• irascibleness
• irritability
• irritableness
• peevishness
• perverseness
• perversity
• pettishness
• testiness
• waspishness

Examples of petulance in a Sentence

I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue.

Recent Examples on the Web

The sense of entitlement and petulance on display is staggering. —Jeffrey Blehar, National Review, 13 Dec. 2024

His cop-on-the-edge routine — leather jacket, aviator glasses, motorcycle, bottomless petulance — is overcranked, as is the cartoon menace of the criminal underground, which fed into a brief cultural freakout over Japanese dominance. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024

Andrew’s response is more petulance; more younger brother than the adult, aging son of the sovereign. —Jack King, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024

Lawsuits take a long time to work their way through the court system, and have uncertain outcomes; in the meantime, Tesla can be badly hurt by Musk’s petulance. —Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 14 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

petulance

noun

pet·​u·​lance ˈpech-ə-lən(t)s 

: the quality or state of being petulant