# grumpy

/ˈɡɹəmpi/ (US) · /ɡɹˈʌmpi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grumpy
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. irritable or bad-tempered

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal

unhappy and easily annoyed, often because you are tired or hungry.

For teachers: irritable, surly, or ill-tempered; often used to describe a temporary mood rather than a permanent character trait.

- He is always a bit grumpy in the morning before he has his coffee.
- The long flight and lack of sleep left the entire tour group feeling grumpy and less than enthusiastic about the first day's itinerary.

Usage: Commonly used with the verb 'to be' or 'to feel'.

### 2. an irritable person

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal

a person who is often in a bad mood or complains a lot.

For teachers: a person who is habitually or currently irritable and dissatisfied.

- Don't be such a grumpy; come and join the party.
- The old man was known as the neighborhood grumpy, though he occasionally surprised the local children with sweets.

Teaching tip: The noun form is much less common than the adjective; learners should focus on the adjective 'grumpy' for everyday use.

## Examples

- He is always grumpy in the morning before he has coffee.
- The long flight and lack of sleep made the children very grumpy by the time we reached the hotel.
- Despite his reputation for being a grumpy old man, the shopkeeper was surprisingly generous whenever local charities came to his door for donations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.