querulous
/'kweruləs/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Habitually complaining or whining: Describes a person who frequently expresses dissatisfaction, annoyance, or resentment in a peevish, whining manner.
- Fretful, petulant: Characterized by or inclined to complaining in a way that is irritable and difficult to please.
Usage
The adjective "querulous" is used to describe a person's habitual temperament or tone of voice. It often implies a persistent, nagging, or whining quality to the complaints, suggesting a lack of patience or a disposition to find fault. It is a formal word.
Examples
- The querulous old man constantly grumbled about the noise from the neighborhood.
- Her voice took on a querulous tone whenever she was tired or hungry.
- He became increasingly querulous during the long delay, complaining about every minor inconvenience.
Advanced Usage
- "a querulous demand": A demand made in a complaining, whining manner.
- The customer made a querulous demand for a refund, despite the clear store policy.
- "querulous criticism": Criticism that is petty and expressed with ill-temper.
- The manager ignored the querulous criticism from the disgruntled employee.
Variants and Related Words
- Querulously (adverb): In a complaining or whining manner.
- "But it's not fair," she said querulously.
- Querulousness (noun): The state or quality of being querulous.
- His constant querulousness made him unpleasant to be around.
Synonyms
- Whiny: Complaining in a feeble or petulant way.
- Peevish: Easily irritated, especially by unimportant things.
- Petulant: Childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
- Fretful: Anxious or complaining.
- Cantankerous: Bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
Antonyms
- Cheerful: Noticeably happy and optimistic.
- Easygoing: Relaxed and tolerant in attitude or manner.
- Patient: Able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.
- Contented: Happy and at ease.
Idioms and Phrases
- None directly formed with "querulous": The word itself is descriptive and is not commonly the base for specific idioms. Its meaning is conveyed in phrases like "in a querulous voice" or "a querulous disposition."
Adjective
- habitually complaining
- a whiny child