petulant
Prone to pouting
Petulant describes someone who is irritable and impatient in a childish way, prone to sulking or showing bad temper over small frustrations: She gave a petulant sigh when asked to wait.
The word suggests wounded pride or thwarted expectations rather than genuine anger—more pouting than rage.
Habitually fretful
- testyShort-tempered, easily provoked
- crankyIll-tempered and peevish
- grumpyIrritable in temperament
- snappishShort-tempered, biting
querulous · fractious · cantankerous · touchy · grouchy · churlish · cross · tetchy
Ill-mannered like children
- whinyInclined to complain
- poutingShowing petulant displeasure
- tantrumsOutbursts of childish anger
- spoiledRuined or overindulged
immature · fussy · impudent · sassy · naughty · disobedient · defiant · obstinate
Sullen in expression
- sullenSilently bad-tempered
- broodingAnxiously dwelling on something
- moroseSullenly ill-humored
- surlyBad-tempered and unfriendly
resentful · disgruntled · glowering · moody · withdrawn · uncommunicative · moping · passive-aggressive
Prone to sudden change
- temperamentalEasily upset, unpredictable
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
- erraticLacking regularity or consistency
changeable · moody · fickle · unstable · inconstant · wayward · willful · arbitrary
peevish
Habitually fretful
snappish · querulous · fractious · cantankerous · touchy · grouchy · churlish · cross · tetchy · fretful
bratty
Ill-mannered like children
spoiled · immature · fussy · impudent · sassy · naughty · disobedient · defiant · obstinate · contrary
pouty
Sullen in expression
surly · resentful · disgruntled · glowering · moody · withdrawn · uncommunicative · moping · passive-aggressive · cold-shouldering
mercurial
Prone to sudden change
- temperamentalEasily upset, unpredictable
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
erratic · changeable · moody · fickle · unstable · inconstant · wayward · willful · arbitrary · fluctuating
- easily offendedtouchy, sensitive, prickly, defensive, testy
- immaturityimmature, childish, juvenile, infantile, puerile
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation
- irritatingannoying, aggravating, bothersome, exasperating, frustrating
- unfriendlyunfriendly, hostile, cold, cool, distant
petulantgood-natured
Having a friendly temperament
good-humored · good-tempered · easygoing · patient · even-tempered