Petulant
hardNegative tonePET-yoo-lunt
adjective
Definition
childishly sulky or bad-tempered; peevish
Memory hook
PETULANT: picture a spoiled child whose PET ANT ran away, so he throws a sulky, foot-stomping tantrum over the tiniest thing.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“He gave a petulant scowl when told he would have to wait his turn.”
“The actor's petulant outbursts on set made him notorious among the crew.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“He gave a ______ scowl when told he would have to wait his turn.”
Show answer
petulant
Categories
GRE Tip
Petulant is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "peevish" or "irritable" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "good-humored".
Related GRE Words
fractious
Irritable, quarrelsome, or prone to conflict
querulous
habitually complaining in a peevish, whining manner
irascible
easily angered; quick-tempered
solicitous
showing attentive care or concern for someone
languid
lacking energy or vigor; slow and relaxed
levity
lightness of manner or treatment, especially when inappropriate
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