Word
surly
US/ˈsɝɫi/
UK/sˈɜːli/
Definition
adj. having a bad temper or being unfriendly. You use this to describe someone who is difficult to get along with.
adj. having a bad temper or being unfriendly; ill-tempered or sullen. Often used to describe a person's general disposition or a specific mood.
Examples
“He was very surly when he heard the bad news.”
“The surly shopkeeper refused to help the customer even after she asked politely three times.”
“Despite his surly exterior, he was actually quite kind to those who earned his trust, though few ever managed to break through his initial coldness.”
Examples
simple
“He was very surly when he heard the bad news.”
contextual
“The surly shopkeeper refused to help the customer even after she asked politely three times.”
complex
“Despite his surly exterior, he was actually quite kind to those who earned his trust, though few ever managed to break through his initial coldness.”
Etymology
16th-century alteration of sirly, from sir + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/surly