querulous
Americanadjective
-
full of complaints; complaining.
- Synonyms:
- discontented, carping, testy, petulant
- Antonyms:
- contented
-
characterized by or uttered in complaint; peevish.
a querulous tone; constant querulous reminders of things to be done.
- Synonyms:
- discontented, carping, testy, petulant
adjective
-
inclined to make whining or peevish complaints
-
characterized by or proceeding from a complaining fretful attitude or disposition
a querulous tone
Other Word Forms
- querulously adverb
- querulousness noun
- unquerulous adjective
- unquerulously adverb
- unquerulousness noun
Etymology
Origin of querulous
1490–1500; < Latin querulus, equivalent to quer ( ī ) to complain + -ulus -ulous
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.
Edward, a World War I veteran, is a querulous man who’s canceled all seasonal festivities at his home.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
Brave Orchid is querulous and in her way indomitable, but she will not draw her grievances on her Biggest Daughter’s back and send her forth to conquer California.
From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2021
He catches the man’s mellifluous delivery and querulous top note.
From The Guardian • Jul. 17, 2020
The version she released was much more ambitious, her dramatic vocal performance propelled by querulous strings and surging synths.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2019
“Where is Rebecca? Why did not Maxim come and bring Rebecca?” replied the thin, tired, querulous voice.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
