ENGLISH
REFERENCE

petulant

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈpɛtʃəɫənt// UK //pˈɛtjʊlənt// petu·lant Archaic

adj. behaving in a bad-tempered and childish way because you are unhappy or frustrated. You use this to describe someone who is acting like a spoiled child.

adj. behaving in a bad-tempered, childish, or sullen manner. Often describes a person who is easily annoyed or who throws a tantrum over minor inconveniences.


SIMPLE

The petulant child refused to share his toys with his sister.

CONTEXTUAL

After waiting for an hour in the rain, the petulant customer finally lost his temper with the receptionist.

COMPLEX

The petulant response from the committee members suggested that their frustration with the proposed budget cuts had already reached a boiling point, making further negotiation impossible.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French, from Latin petulāns, akin to petō (“to ask for”).

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