disgruntled
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of disgruntled
Explanation
Disgruntled sounds like what it is — dissatisfied, grunting and grumbling. You could become a disgruntled employee if your boss swipes all your best ideas without giving you credit (or a raise). Disgruntled actually comes from gruntle, an old verb meaning, not so surprisingly, "to grunt." When you're disgruntled, you might grunt with dissatisfaction and anger. If you are a disgruntled customer, why not ask to speak to a manager? Unless you'd rather just stand there grunting.
Vocabulary lists containing disgruntled
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Anti-Antonyms: Words Without Opposites
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Disgruntled by rising living costs and disillusioned by unfulfilled economic and social promises, the Swiss are at the vanguard of industrialized countries questioning the benefits of immigration, even the high-skilled workers many vie to attract.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
Disgruntled staff stopped work for three days last month, causing a complete shutdown on one day and partial closures on two others.
From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026
Disgruntled employees cost U.S. companies an estimated $1.9 trillion in lost productivity last year, according to Gallup, and in recent years employers have flocked to new services that promise a window into workers’ well-being.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 27, 2024
Disgruntled customers cite other examples: ice cream is shown with whole almonds but contains only shavings, pizza toppings are meagre, salads pricey but pitiful.
From BBC • Sep. 2, 2023
Disgruntled he counts out the money from his wallet.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
