Meaning & use
petulant
Last updated
Childishly irritable, sulky, or bad-tempered, especially over something trivial.
See it in a sentence
The petulant child threw his toys across the room when told it was bedtime.
Her petulant tone made it clear she was still upset about losing the game.
A note on using this word
Petulant almost always describes minor, childish irritation rather than serious anger, and is often used to criticize an adult for acting immaturely.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
easygoinggood-natured
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “petulant”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.