Meaning & use
Petulance
Last updated
Childish irritability or bad temper, often shown through sulking or complaining.
See it in a sentence
The toddler's petulance was obvious as he stamped his feet and refused to eat.
There was a note of petulance in her voice when the meeting ran late.
A note on using this word
From the Latin 'petulans,' meaning impudent or forward; it describes immature, short-tempered fussiness.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
patiencegood humor
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