petulance

noun

ˈpe-chə-lən(t)s How to pronounce petulance (audio)
Definition of petulancenext
as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of petulance Refund claims will certainly be made and sustained in the courts, so all the president’s petulance will accomplish is to cause delay and increase the government’s obligation to pay interest due on the refunds. — Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 22 Feb. 2026 Florida has had enough of pettiness, politic stunts and petulance. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026 True, its narrative was hard to follow, its dialogue abstruse, but why the petulance? — Peter Bart, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025 So there’s a feeling of vindictiveness and petulance that’s in there, but there’s also a practicality to it, too. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for petulance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulance
  1. irritability
  2. aggression
Noun
  • Kooij says women with ADHD whose symptoms increase during this stage may describe losing control over mood, irritability, sleep and focus.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 7 July 2026
  • Giving your body a chance to relax with floor time can interrupt stress and give the body a chance to recharge, which could reduce feelings of irritability or distress.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of irritability
Noun
  • What if Penelope’s waiting is her own form of aggression, a way of holding a space, for as long as possible, that excludes the men and their own attempts at power?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
  • When scientists temporarily disabled mole-rats’ olfactory sensory neurons with chemicals, the aggression towards strangers disappeared.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
Definition of aggression

Browse Nearby Words

petty larceny
petulance
petulant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulance. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on petulance

Nglish: Translation of petulance for Spanish Speakers

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