petulant

adjective

ˈpe-chə-lənt How to pronounce petulant (audio)
Definition of petulantnext
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed a petulant and fussy man who is always blaming everyone else for his problems

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 petulant Not to mention battling nerds, LARPers, and a particularly petulant McPoyle clan at the Renaissance Faire or sportswashing their way back into the good graces of their community by sponsoring a Little League team. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 15 July 2026 Their Ballon d’Or-winning winger Ousmane Dembele had the ball in his hands, a decoy to avoid unwanted attention on the actual taker Mbappe, and Dembele quite literally laughed in the face of the petulant Velazquez. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026 Charles seemed highly strung and petulant, getting himself in a lather about the loss of a cufflink just before the pre-wedding ball at Buckingham Palace. — Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026 Her recent work revives a dreamy Renaissance style to show its absurd incompatibility with the raging, petulant menaces in whom the world’s power is concentrated. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for petulant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulant
  1. irritable
  2. fiery
Adjective
  • Just as Depp made to exit the stage, a haunting voice came over the speaker, eerily repeating the irritable man’s name.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 23 July 2026
  • Perelman said people who have weakened immune systems and those with irritable bowel disease may want to talk to their doctors before incorporating the foods into their diet.
    — Devi Shastri, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • Admired for their striking beauty, the fiery blossoms of the peacock flower have long captured the attention of people across the Atlantic world.
    — Kari Traylor, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2026
  • The testimony followed years of fiery disputes between Paul and Fauci — both medical doctors — over the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the origins of the virus that caused it.
    — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 29 July 2026
Definition of fiery

Browse Nearby Words

petulance
petulant
pewter
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Cite this Entry

“Petulant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulant. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on petulant

Nglish: Translation of petulant for Spanish Speakers

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