grump 1 of 2

noun

ˈgrəmp How to pronounce grump (audio)
Definition of grumpnext
as in complainer
an irritable and complaining person a real grump in the morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grump

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely those incessantly grumping patients were generally ignored by the nursing home staff

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pout
to silently go about in a bad mood he's been grumping about the house all morning because the golf tournament got rained out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 grump
Noun
If Annelle is a sweet bean, then Ouiser Boudreaux is the neighborhood grump. — Libby Smith, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026 The iconic Christmas grump, who has become a seasonal favorite at Universal theme parks for his lack of holiday spirit and acerbic banter, initially greeted the little girl in his signature gruff delivery. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 10 Dec. 2025
Verb
However, George did join William and Kate on their tour of Australia in 2014 and was the grumpiest grump that ever grumped. — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, 24 June 2019 Regina grumped out of the bedroom and pressed the manual start. — Neal Pollack, Popular Mechanics, 1 May 2017 See All Example Sentences for grump
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grump
  1. complainer
  2. complain
  3. pout
  4. crab
  5. scream
  6. frown
  7. bear
  8. whine
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
Verb
  • Journalists have complained that the lucrative and high-profile show is not subject to The Atlantic’s editorial rules, input, or oversight — yet a casual listener could easily take it for an Atlantic editorial product.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Kelker-Kelly reportedly had complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive, and the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event, police said.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of complain
Verb
  • During the first day of the charter, Sandy notices that Nathan is punishing Joe for pouting in the previous charter, which wins her over to Joe’s side.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Kardashian was snapped sitting in front of the pair, pouting while flashing a peace sign at the camera during a break from filming.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of pout
Noun
  • The rooftop bar looks over Hyde Park, lending a welcome (and rather rare) sense of openness in central London, while ABC Kitchen—the London outpost of the New York restaurant famed for its crab toast—brings in a high-flying food crowd.
    — Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Spicy crab in the front of the ice bath had insufficient ice.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of crab
Verb
  • Set the scene The Homestead screams quirky, artful, and vintage yet restored—capturing a whimsical, fairytale ambiance embellished with hints of Southern charm.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In reviewing the body camera footage, police found that the child was standing on the stairwell at one point and was screaming while holding her left arm up in the air, according to the warrant affidavit.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of scream
Verb
  • Softness and flaccidity are frowned upon, and there is still a great deal of silence surrounding these issues among men.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Looking on was Trooper Major, body camera footage shows, frowning in the sun as the deputies followed guidance from a portable defibrillator device.
    — Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of frown
Noun
  • Fat Bear Week just passed, but if those bears simply weren’t large enough for you, don’t worry.
    — Eva Flowe October 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In California, wolves, bears and mountain lions are protected by state law.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of bear
Verb
  • Maris Kreizman pushes back against recent awards season whining.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • For The Times) Courtney does great old ladies and whining teens, Michaels plays great curmudgeons and Palermo is great at space work.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of whine

Browse Nearby Words

grumbling
grump
grumped
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grump.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grump. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inscrutable

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All