Cantankerous - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Cantankerous describes someone who is bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative, often complaining or disagreeing in a stubborn way. It is used to characterize difficult or irritable people.
Definition:
Bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
Synonyms:
irritable, grumpy, quarrelsome, peevish
Part of Speech:
adjective
Antonyms:
agreeable, amiable
Common Collocations:
old man, mood, behavior, attitude
Derivatives:
cantankerously, cantankerousness
Usage Tips:
Use "cantankerous" to describe someone stubbornly difficult or irritable, often in a persistent way.
Common Phrases:
cantankerous old man, in a cantankerous mood
Etymology:
Likely derived from Middle English "contakour," meaning troublemaker, influenced by "rancorous."
Examples:
- 1. The cantankerous neighbor yelled at the kids for playing too loudly.
- 2. Her cantankerous attitude made teamwork nearly impossible.
- 3. The old cat grew increasingly cantankerous with age.
- 4. He became cantankerous whenever anyone disagreed with him.