Synonyms of petulant

petulant

adjective

ˈpe-chə-lənt 

as in irritable

easily irritated or annoyed

a petulant and fussy man who is always blaming everyone else for his problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritable
• fiery
• peevish
• irascible
• snappish
• grumpy
• waspish
• crotchety
• grouchy
• snarky
• pettish
• testy
• crabby
• choleric
• passionate
• cross
• snippy
• raspy
• short-tempered
• out of humor
• cranky
• out of sorts
• stuffy
• sensitive
• perverse
• querulous
• quick-tempered
• prickly
• belligerent
• ratty
• short
• cantankerous
• ornery
• contentious
• surly
• snippety
• bilious
• curmudgeonly
• dyspeptic
• fretful
• disagreeable
• snarly
• pugnacious
• bellicose
• combative
• argumentative
• sulky
• pouty
• truculent
• snappy
• sullen
• ill-tempered
• quarrelsome
• fractious
• tetchy
• ill-humored
• ill-natured
• huffy
• scrappy
• off-colored
• disputatious
• cross-grained
• bearish
• thin-skinned
• off-color
• touchy
• hot-blooded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• friendly
• affable
• outgoing
• cordial
• gregarious
• genial
• amiable
• sweet
• extroverted
• companionable
• sociable
• good-natured
• extraverted
• agreeable
• carefree
• easygoing
• good-tempered
• patient
• relaxed
• stoic
• tolerant
• stoical
• well-disposed
• long-suffering
• uncomplaining
• forbearing
• understanding
• obliging
• happy-go-lucky

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of petulant

Those preening, petulant, damn good San Diego Padres. —Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024

Rob was tasked with being a glorified babysitter to Lumi’s petulant and posh CEO, Henry Muck (Kit Harrington), and has now been offered up by Pierpoint as a representative. —Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2024

The old laughter has now curdled into something more personal and petulant—and potentially dangerous. —Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2024

His take on Prince Philip is both humanizing and unmerciful, cutting to the bone of a man portrayed in contradictory terms — petulant yet statesmanlike, intensely ambitious yet ineffectual, relatable one minute and contemptible the next. —Will Harris, EW.com, 30 July 2024

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!