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 Lestat walks us through his reawakening in yet another moment where the show chooses to tell rather than show, culminating in a confrontation with Gabriella, positioned here as the overbearing stage mother to Lestat’s petulant toddler in a tiara. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 Tom Holland comes across as a vulnerable princeling without being petulant or drippy. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for petulant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulant
  1. irritable
  2. fiery
Adjective
  • How skipping breakfast affects kids at school Nemours KidsHealth reports that kids who miss the morning meal often feel tired, restless or irritable by midmorning.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Skipping meals can negatively affect blood sugar levels and leave you feeling hungry, irritable, and unable to pay attention.
    — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • Kusama, known for her fiery red wig, lived by choice in a Tokyo psychiatric hospital for decades.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In humans and other animals the isothiocyanates stimulate sensory receptors in the mouth and nose, resulting in a peppery, pungent flavor that is often described as sharp rather than fiery.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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