grumpy

adjective

ˈgrəm-pē How to pronounce grumpy (audio)
grumpier; grumpiest
Synonyms of grumpy
: easily and often annoyed or angered : surly
grumpily
ˈgrəm-pə-lē How to pronounce grumpy (audio)
adverb
grumpiness
ˈgrəm-pē-nəs How to pronounce grumpy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of grumpy

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Could make for some grumpy residents around Foxboro. — Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026 And yet, there’s plenty of evidence that consumers, while grumpy, are still spending. — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 3 June 2026 Following up on his dance moves and silly faces from Trooping the Colour events from years prior, the prince was spotted playfully putting on a grumpy expression during the fly-over. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 June 2026 Ricky Gervais is his trademark grumpy self, just in cat form, at the beginning of the trailer for Netflix’s Alley Cats, the comic’s return to adult animation. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for grumpy

Word History

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grumpy was in 1750

Rhymes for grumpy

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Browse Nearby Words

grumpish
grumpy
grun
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Cite this Entry

“Grumpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grumpy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on grumpy

Nglish: Translation of grumpy for Spanish Speakers

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