grump

American  

[gruhmp] / grʌmp /

noun

• grumps
  plural

1. a person given to constant complaining.

2. Informal. the grumps, a depressed or sulky mood.

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verb (used without object)

1. to complain or sulk.

grump British  

/ ɡrʌmp /

noun

1. a surly or bad-tempered person

2. (plural) a sulky or morose mood (esp in the phrase have the grumps )

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verb

1. (intr) to complain or grumble

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• grumps
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of grump

First recorded in 1835–45; probably back formation from grumpy

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Explanation

A grouchy, complaining person is a grump. If you mope around all week during a rainy vacation with your family, don't be surprised if they call you a grump. Before grump came to mean a cranky person, the phrase the grumps was used for "a fit of ill-humor." The word may stem from a now-obsolete adjective, grum, "morose or surly." If your neighbor is a grump, he won't be amused by the massive water balloon fight in your yard — but it still may be worth baking him some cookies as an apology for scaring his little dog.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grump grumps

"I would be such a grump," says Caitlin Andrew, recalling her teenage self on walks with her parents.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

Mitts’ personality is reminiscent of Sam Sylvia, Maron’s lovable grump of a director on Netflix’s wrestling dramedy “GLOW.”

From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2025

The sharpest movies about New York’s art scene — including 1996’s “Basquiat,” starring future “American Fiction” grump Jeffrey Wright — capture something relentless about the city.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2024

At first, the grump does his best to scare off the invader.

From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2023

“He’s just an old grump, you know how turtles are.”

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

What a blow to grumps who chuckle when a New York team endures a miserable season, of which plenty remain, thanks to those Mets, Giants, Rangers and, of course, the pratfalling Jets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

But the spat punctures any suggestion that the Budget will end grumps and strops inside the party.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025

Both feature expert, vanity-free performances — from Michelle Williams and Thomas Schubert, respectively — playing such memorably self-serious grumps that you almost want to see them co-star in a crossover rom-com sequel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2023

A pull of a lever in this basement room brings a ghostly Marley out of a trapdoor in the floor of the stage to begin the journey of scaring Scrooge out of his holiday grumps.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 26, 2021

Mrs. March was very busy trying to finish a letter, which must go at once, and Hannah had the grumps, for being up late didn’t suit her.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

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