grouchy

¹

[grou-chee]

adjective

grouchier, grouchiest 

1. sullenly discontented; sulky; morose; ill-tempered.

Grouchy

²

[groo-shee]

noun

1. Emmanuel Marquis de, 1766–1847, French general.

ˈgrouchy

/ ˈɡraʊtʃɪ /

adjective

1. informal,  bad-tempered; tending to complain; peevish

Other Word Forms

• grouchily adverb
• grouchiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grouchy¹

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; grouch + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Penelope had implored the children to take naps in the afternoon so as not to be grouchy later, but their excitement made sleep impossible.

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The heroine is a grouchy, 73-year-old retired lawyer at odds with her daughter and her garden club.

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Matt Roush adds, “Subtlety rarely wins awards, but I’d like to see Harrison Ford’s masterful underplaying as ‘Shrinking’s’ grouchy shrink prove me wrong.”

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As grouchy as Rick can be, he doesn’t seem like the type to lie, especially not to Chelsea.

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“Sesame Street’s” garbage-can dwelling green monster tells us about his favorite piece of trash and how to put on your best grouchy face.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cantankerous 
• crusty 
• grumpy 
• irascible 
• petulant 
• surly 
• testy