SOURPUSS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

sourpuss

noun

ˈsau̇(-ə)r-ˌpu̇s

Definition of sourpuss

as in crab

an irritable and complaining person that old sourpuss must spend all his time making sure no one traipses across his lawn

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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 sourpuss And Brightman, who’s built a reputation playing wilder roles, shows his range by going straightfaced as the sourpuss fish out of water. — Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026 The Republicans sat like stubborn sourpusses eager for the 81-year-old president to stumble. — Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Four generations on, the Grinch’s humble roots on the page as a black-and-white sourpuss, looking down on Who-ville and rueing the impending town feast, have become a Christmas cottage industry. — Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2020 Even a sourpuss like Heifetz let his hair down madly dashing through the finale like a child’s first moments at Disneyland. — Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2019 According to the Washington Post, a jury awarded famed sourpuss Grumpy Cat $710,000 in damages on Monday, settling a lawsuit that began in 2015 between the cat’s company and the Grenade beverage company. — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE.com, 25 Jan. 2018 To most Internet users, Grumpy Cat - the feline with a furry frown - is a minor celebrity that capitalized on the popularity of memes in 2012 as a perpetual sourpuss. — The Washington Post, OregonLive.com, 25 Jan. 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sourpuss

Noun

Seafood is the star of the show here—especially the shrimp and grits and crab cakes, which Bernthal says are a must-order.

— Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026
The crabs were first spotted in the Mediterranean Sea in the last century but really began wreaking havoc only around a decade ago, when their population surged, posing a threat both to native biodiversity and to the fishing industry.

— Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of crab

Noun

My ‘Deborah Vance Show senior writer’ persona was kind of a rude complainer with an incipient alcohol problem.

— Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Are they deluded into thinking that the complainers are just a squeaky wheel minority and the majority of fans are happy with it?

— Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 13 July 2026

Definition of complainer

Noun

Meanwhile, the clinical data undercuts the GLP-1 bear case, and Insulet’s balance sheet and margin profile show no cracks beyond the specific retention metric management flagged.

— Harvey Stober, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
The biggest bear killers by far in Central Florida are motor vehicles, blamed for killing 1,545 bears in the region in the past 10 years, including 219 in 2025, the most since 2021 when 242 bears died on the region’s roadways.

— Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of bear

Noun

Even at low speeds, the model variant’s flat-crank V-8 feels alive and brimming with 8,300 rpm of possibility.

— Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
That felt the opposite here,as Chandler and Pierre actually have great chemistry together — with Pierre delivering most of the thoughtful answers and Chandler playing the role of the lovable crank.

— Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of crank

Noun

Larry David’s 'Pursuit of Unhappiness' Comedy's favorite curmudgeon teamed up with an A-list cast and a former president for a new HBO sketch comedy show about American history and the inconveniences our historical heroes faced.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Since 2018, Microsoft has answered those curmudgeons’ cries with the Surface Laptop line, now in its eighth generation.

— Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026

Definition of curmudgeon

Browse Nearby Words

sourness

sourpuss

sourpusses

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“Sourpuss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sourpuss. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sourpuss

noun

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