Skip to main content
grouchy

grouchy

19 3.9
Easily annoyed and often in a bad mood
  • adjective
  • /ˈɡraʊtʃi/
translation icon : gruñón
  • He tends to get a bit grouchy when he is hungry or tired.
  • get grouchy
  • grouchy old
  • grouchy man

To expect people to like you and want to be grouchy all the time is irrational.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Why are you being so grouchy today?

  • You're quite a grouchy uncle, aren't you?

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Why are you so grouchy right now?

  • I know we're all a little grouchy right now.

  • Some would get grouchy, and others would sit down and talk with you.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Some days I am really, really grouchy and feel put upon.

    Blog text (9)
  • I was born to be a grouchy old bachelor; it just took me a while to realize it.

    Blog text (8)
  • "Shut up, Ruby, and go get me another beer." "You sure are grouchy tonight," said Ruby.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • She's just grouchy because Aaron broke up with her.

  • If you feel down all the time or grouchy all the time, don't ignore it!

    Blog text (7)

Synonyms

cranky
vsgrouchy
117 4.2

Easily annoyed and upset when tired or hungry

is more about a lasting bad mood than sudden complaining reactions
grumpy
vsgrouchy
76 1.7

Easily annoyed and in a bad mood

is the same feeling and often used interchangeably in speech
irritable
vsgrouchy
32 3.7

Quick to become annoyed or angry

is similar but emphasizes a general bad mood rather than quick anger
testy
vsgrouchy
32 7.2

Easily annoyed and quick to get angry

is more about ongoing moodiness than rapid angry reactions
fussy
vsgrouchy
24 3.9

Easily annoyed and hard to please about small things

is irritable overall rather than specifically picky about details
crabby
vsgrouchy
  • Informal
24 5.4

Feeling easily annoyed and in a bad mood

is a general irritable mood rather than focused complaining
pissy
vsgrouchy
  • Offensive
18 9.6

Quick to become annoyed and show a bad mood

is irritable but without the petty or deliberately unpleasant tone
sulky
vsgrouchy
6 5.0

Quietly angry and not wanting to talk to others

is openly irritable or bad tempered rather than quietly withdrawn
crotchety
vsgrouchy
6 8.8

Often in a bad mood and easily annoyed by small things

is irritable too but without the eccentric or unpredictable quality
ill-tempered
vsgrouchy
4 5.7

Easily annoyed and quick to get angry

is similar but focuses on moodiness rather than outward anger displays
curmudgeonly
vsgrouchy
3 9.5

Often bad-tempered and easily annoyed, like a grumpy older person

is similar irritability but without the age-related surly character
bad-tempered
vsgrouchy
3 3.5

Quick to get angry or annoyed

is the everyday experience of being in a bad mood rather than anger tendency
cross
vsgrouchy
1 2.2

Feeling slightly angry or annoyed

is the broader sense of being in a bad mood rather than one moment
stroppy
vsgrouchy
  • UK
1 9.8

Easily annoyed and likely to argue or be unhelpful

is irritable but may be less openly argumentative or obstructive
narky
vsgrouchy
  • UK
1 9.9

Easily annoyed and quick to complain about small things

is a general bad mood without the petty complaint focus
crabbed
vsgrouchy
  • Archaic
1 8.6

Annoyed and easily upset so you speak in a short angry way

is a milder bad mood without necessarily sounding harsh or unfriendly
grumbly
vsgrouchy
1 4.4

Feeling annoyed and often complaining about things

is an irritable mood but not focused on vocal complaining
crankish
vsgrouchy
8.3

Becoming easily annoyed and acting in a bad-tempered way

is simply irritable and grumpy without the odd behavior
gripey
vsgrouchy
  • Informal
8.4

Often complaining in a way that annoys others

is more about being in a bad mood than constant complaining
growly
vsgrouchy
  • Informal
7.1

Showing irritation and wanting to be left alone

is a general grumpy mood rather than a specifically sulky tone
mardy
vsgrouchy
  • UK
9.9

Being bad-tempered and quiet because of disappointment

is a general bad mood that need not come from disappointment

Antonyms

22 2.6

Being calm and relaxed and not easily upset

How Grouchy

irascible
  • Formal
5 8.6
cantankerous
9 8.6
grouchy
19 3.9
grumpy
76 1.7
cranky
117 4.2
irritable
32 3.7

Surface Forms

grouchy positive
grouchier comparative
grouchiest superlative

Morphology

grouchy = grouch (transparent) = grouch + y

Standard adjective formation from the noun 'grouch' with '-y' meaning 'characterized by', so the meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

Grouchy comes from the word grouch, a name for someone who 'complains' or 'grumbles'. So a grouchy person is someone who often 'gets annoyed' and has a 'bad mood'.