Grumpy
/ˈɡrʌmpi/
Definitions
Bad-tempered and easily annoyed.
/ˈɡrʌmpi/
The grumpy cat refused to be petted.
💡 Simply: Feeling a bit like your alarm clock in the morning – always in a bad mood and easily upset. Like when you stub your toe and get all 'grumpy'.
👶 For kids: When someone is in a bad mood and gets angry or annoyed easily.
More Examples
He's grumpy when he doesn't get enough sleep.
The traffic jam made everyone grumpy.
How It's Used
"The grumpy old man yelled at the children for playing on his lawn."
"The protagonist's grumpy demeanor made it difficult for others to approach him."
Idioms & expressions
Get out of the wrong side of the bed
To be in a bad mood or grumpy, often at the start of the day.
"He's so grumpy today; he must have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed."
From Middle English *grumpi*, likely of imitative origin, related to words describing growling or grumbling sounds.
The word 'grumpy' has been used since the late 18th century, and its usage has steadily increased with the rise of colloquial language and informal communication.
Memory tip
Think of a grumpy old man with a frowning face.