Meaning & use
cantankerous
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Easily annoyed and fond of arguing or complaining, often in a stubborn way.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a cantankerous neighbor, he is cantankerous.
Patterns
- cantankerous about something
- a cantankerous old man
Our cantankerous neighbor complains about every noise.
The cantankerous judge argued with every lawyer in the room.
She grew cantankerous in her old age, refusing every suggestion.
Word forms
| comparative | more cantankerous |
|---|---|
| superlative | most cantankerous |
Common combinations
- cantankerous old man
- The cantankerous old man refused to sell his land.
- grow cantankerous
- He grew cantankerous as his health faded.
- cantankerous mood
- She was in a cantankerous mood all morning.
- cantankerous critic
- The cantankerous critic hated every new film.
- cantankerous engine
- The cantankerous engine refused to start in the cold.
Synonyms and how they differ
- grumpy
- Grumpy is lighter and more casual, describing a short-term bad mood, while cantankerous suggests a lasting argumentative nature.
- irritable
- Irritable means easily annoyed but does not include the love of quarrelling that cantankerous has.
- curmudgeonly
- Curmudgeonly is similar but suggests a sour, miserly older person and is usually humorous.
- contrary
- Contrary describes someone who deliberately disagrees, without the grumbling feel of cantankerous.
Opposites
Word family
- cantankerously adverb
- in a bad-tempered, quarrelsome way
- cantankerousness noun
- the quality of being quarrelsome
Commonly confused: cantankerous or rancorous?
cantankerous vs rancorous
Rancorous means full of deep, lasting bitterness, whereas cantankerous means grumpy and argumentative in a more everyday way.
Practice
Which person is best described as cantankerous?
Choose one answer.
Cantankerous means bad-tempered and argumentative, which describes the stubborn old man. The others show cheerful, shy, or calm behavior.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cantankerous”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.