English Reference

Word

disgruntled

Phoneticsdis·grun·tled

US/dɪsˈɡɹənəɫd/

UK/dɪsɡɹˈʌntəld/

Definition

adj. unhappy, annoyed, and disappointed because things didn't go the way you wanted. You often use this to describe someone who is not satisfied with their job or a service.

adj. dissatisfied, annoyed, and resentful, especially regarding a perceived lack of fair treatment. Often used predicatively after linking verbs such as 'remain' or 'become'.

Examples

“The disgruntled customer demanded a full refund.”

“After the company cancelled the holiday bonuses, several disgruntled employees began looking for new jobs.”

“The management team struggled to address the concerns of a disgruntled minority whose vocal opposition threatened to derail the entire restructuring process.”

Examples

simple

“The disgruntled customer demanded a full refund.”

contextual

“After the company cancelled the holiday bonuses, several disgruntled employees began looking for new jobs.”

complex

“The management team struggled to address the concerns of a disgruntled minority whose vocal opposition threatened to derail the entire restructuring process.”

Usage

Commonly used as an adjective despite its origins as a past participle; frequently appears before nouns like 'employee', 'customer', or 'voter'.

Real-World Examples

“The talking "social robot" known as Fletch has been programmed to mimic a disgruntled parent and allows teachers to rehearse intense situations before confronting them in their workplace.”
Phys.org · 26 Aug 2026
“When Pride and Prejudice eventually appeared in 1813 it was in such tiny print and scrappy paper that disgruntled readers decreed it “almost unintelligible”.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

From disgruntle + -ed (suffix forming past tense and past participle forms of verbs).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/disgruntled

English Reference