What does grumpy mean?
Grumpy means bad-tempered, cross, or easily annoyed. It is used for people, moods, voices, expressions, and sometimes general attitudes or conditions: a driver might be called grumpy, a reply might be described as a grumpy answer, and someone can become grumpy when tired or hungry. The word is informal but widely accepted in British and American English, and its force ranges from a mild description of momentary irritation to a more persistent characterization of someone as irritable or difficult to please. In some contexts, especially among family members or friends, grumpy can sound affectionate or humorous, as though the person is being teased for a predictable bad mood. In other contexts it is a straightforward criticism. Because grumpy conveys a familiar, everyday kind of displeasure rather than deep anger or hostility, it is useful for describing ordinary social moods and character traits without making the description sound excessively formal.
adjectiveBad-tempered and easily annoyed; cross or irritable. It can describe a person, an expression, a voice, or a general mood.
- Bad-tempered, cross, and easily annoyed.
"He was grumpy after being woken early, so he drank his coffee in silence."
"The grumpy customer asked to speak to the manager."
"She was grumpy with the children all morning, but her mood improved after lunch."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How grumpy is actually used
Grumpy is common in everyday speech and informal writing. It can be mildly humorous or affectionate when describing someone whose irritability is familiar and harmless, but it may sound critical when used seriously.
Easily confused with grumpy
Grumpy means bad-tempered or irritable, whereas gumpy is a type of crayfish and is not normally used to describe a person's mood.