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View synonyms for ornery

ornery

[ awr-nuh-ree ]

adjective

, Dialect.
, or·ner·i·er, or·ner·i·est.
  1. ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper:

    No one can get along with my ornery cousin.

    Synonyms: ill-tempered, testy, surly, ill-natured, mean

  2. stubborn:

    I can't do a thing with that ornery mule.

  3. low or vile.
  4. inferior or common; ordinary.


ornery

/ ˈɔːnərɪ /

adjective

  1. stubborn or vile-tempered
  2. low; treacherous

    an ornery trick

  3. ordinary
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈorneriness, noun
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Other Words From

  • orner·i·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ornery1

First recorded in 1790–1800; contraction of ordinary
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ornery1

C19: alteration of ordinary
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Example Sentences

Otter 841, California’s most ornery sea mammal, has returned to waters off Santa Cruz.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic attracted some horses as old as four and five — tough, ornery veterans.

It falls to Asha, her quirky friends, an ornery talking goat sidekick and a cute fallen star to rebel against Magnifico to get the wishes back.

The Chargers are expecting the Dallas Cowboys to be more ornery than usual coming off an “embarrassing” blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Chargers are expecting the Dallas Cowboys to be more ornery than usual coming off an “embarrassing” blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

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