petulant

[ pech-uh-luhnt ]

adjective

1. moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over some trifling annoyance:

   a petulant toss of the head.

   Synonyms: touchy, pettish, fretful, peevish, irritable

petulant

/ ˈpɛtjʊlənt /

adjective

1. irritable, impatient, or sullen in a peevish or capricious way

Derived Forms

• ˈpetulance, noun
• ˈpetulantly, adverb

Other Words From

• pet·u·lant·ly adverb
• un·pet·u·lant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of petulant¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin petulant- (stem of petulāns ) “impudent,” akin to petere “to seek, head for”

Word History and Origins

Origin of petulant¹

C16: via Old French from Latin petulāns bold, from petulāre (unattested) to attack playfully, from petere to assail

Example Sentences

Is he, like so many other CEOs in tech and media, simply taking after the examples of petulant, entitled leadership modeled by Elon Musk?

From Slate

Confronted with these criticisms, Trump grew petulant.

From Salon

And the public is petulant, demanding more of the same, but losing interest if you don't evolve.

From BBC

Frum also views Vance's aggrieved responses whenever he's asked about "cat ladies" in the same light, as Vance's childish inability to control his petulant emotions.

From Salon

Obama has his own share of hits against Trump, mocking him as a petulant, grievance-filled narcissist in his convention speech, while Michelle accused him of benefiting from the “affirmative action of generational wealth.”

From Salon

Related Words

• cranky
• fractious
• impatient
• irritable
• perverse
• sullen
• testy
• whiny