curmudgeonly
Americanadjective
adverb
Etymology
Origin of curmudgeonly
Explanation
When you're curmudgeonly, you come across as very grumpy and unfriendly. A curmudgeonly teacher answers students' questions in a cranky and inapproachable way. Waiting in a long, curmudgeonly line isn't much fun, since everyone around you seems irritable. Your own curmudgeonly mood might cause you to snap at your friends and complain about the weather, despite the fact that it's a beautiful day. The origin of the related noun curmudgeon is a mystery, although some experts guess at a connection to cur, or "dog."
Vocabulary lists containing curmudgeonly
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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.
And if you’re familiar with Martin Best, the curmudgeonly doctor with an almost permanently furrowed brow portrayed by Charles, the character’s willingness to don such a getup likely took some coaxing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Call them curmudgeonly roadblocks to progress, or the last beacons of sanity on the road.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
The 28-year-old son of iconic and curmudgeonly coach Bill Belichick, Steve was assigned to oversee a collection of established safeties — including Devin McCourty and Patrick Chun.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2024
It’s neither a full-on curmudgeonly condemnation of Gen Z stereotypes — avoidant, anxious, narcissistic, polyamorous — nor an enlightening investigation of them.
From New York Times ● Jan. 26, 2024
It was the cantankerous, curmudgeonly talk show humorist Jean Shepherd who entranced him.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
