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querulous

/ˈkwɛrʊləs/adjective

Always complaining, often in an irritable or whining tone.

Example sentences

  • “His querulous emails about the office temperature arrived daily.”
  • “The querulous old man grumbled about the noise, the food, and the weather.”

Above all describes a tone of voice: a querulous whine. Unlike 'quarrelsome' people, querulous ones complain rather than fight.

Featured as word of the day on April 29, 2026.

Synonyms for querulous

Antonyms

Often confused with querulous

querulous vs quarrelsome
quarrelsome (adjective): Tending to argue or pick fights with people.

Find it in: Advanced English words, Words to describe a person.

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