petulantly

American  

[pech-uh-luhnt-lee] / ˈpɛtʃ ə lənt li /

adverb

1. in a way that shows impatient irritation, especially over some minor annoyance.

   When the vote didn't go his way at the meeting, he knocked over his chair, petulantly kicked it out of his path, and stormed out of the room.

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Other Word Forms

• unpetulantly adverb

Etymology

Origin of petulantly

petulant ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When you do something petulantly, you are being irritable or peevish. If you petulantly roll your eyes at your boss, you might risk losing that promotion. Petulantly is the adverb formation of petulant, which comes from the Latin word petulantem, meaning “wanton,” “forward,” or “insolent.” The modern use of petulantly has morphed to mean that one is moody or childish, and no longer means that one is wanton or forward. Acting petulantly won’t get you very far. People don’t usually respond well to children acting bratty, and it’s even worse when adults do it.

Example Sentences

His infamous default from the US Open in 2020 for petulantly swiping at a ball that hit a woman line judge gave a glimpse of his fiery character.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

He kept petulantly defending his actions to the end of his life.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2024

They behave petulantly at the breakfast table and eventually go so far as to call Zeynep and Mehmet “mom” and “dad.”

From New York Times • Mar. 7, 2024

In the 93rd minute at the King Power Stadium, Steven Bergwijn was petulantly shoving a Leicester player to the ground as Tottenham headed to a damaging defeat.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2022

“These are very critical times,” Colonel Cathcart asserted petulantly from a far corner of the office, paying no attention to Colonel Korn.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller