as in irritability
readiness to show annoyance or impatience
I do not appreciate your petulance and eagerness to argue
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Recent Examples of petulance
Seeing Green Day live is kind of brat, the petulance of Armstrong’s early years well in line with what Charli tries to do now.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2025
But that all changed after a bout of petulance during a Premier League game against Blackburn Rovers in the final midweek of that season.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Perhaps Kevin Love, who had served as a locker-room (and social-media) buffer during the worst of times over Butler’s six weeks of Heat-ed petulance this season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025
But the nearly invisible surveillance-style approach to capturing the survivalists seems to help both them and their pit crews (who must live and sleep at HQ) forget that they will be broadcast on national TV, allowing for some raw moments of petulance, fear, and questionable choices.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2025
But that all changed after a bout of petulance during a Premier League game against Blackburn Rovers in the final midweek of that season.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Perhaps Kevin Love, who had served as a locker-room (and social-media) buffer during the worst of times over Butler’s six weeks of Heat-ed petulance this season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 May 2025
But the nearly invisible surveillance-style approach to capturing the survivalists seems to help both them and their pit crews (who must live and sleep at HQ) forget that they will be broadcast on national TV, allowing for some raw moments of petulance, fear, and questionable choices.
—Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petulance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petulance
Noun
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Advertisement Dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, confusion, and irritability are signs of dehydration, Taubman says.—
Erica Sweeney,
Time,
17 July 2025
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Is your irritability to the level where your children might notice or your husband might have some comments about the irritability?—
Essence,
Essence,
5 July 2025
Noun
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Correa’s stunning return to Houston is another accentuation of owner Jim Crane’s aggression at the trade deadline and a jolt for a clubhouse that needed it.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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The work is a reflection on the extent of unbelievable acts of aggression that exist in times of confrontation, such as the compulsion to kill to retain control.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Petulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petulance. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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