Querulous

//ˈkwɛɹ(j)ələs// adj

adj ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Often complaining; suggesting a complaint in expression; fretful, whining.

    "“Nay, you said as much before,” said the querulous old man, “and yet I was put forth from Kinross, and pillaged by troopers on the road.—[…]”"

Adjective
  1. 1
    habitually complaining wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
cantankerouscomplainingcriticalfretfulhuffypeevish

Example

More examples

"She spoke in a querulous voice."

Etymology

From Old French querelos, from Late Latin querulōsus, from Latin querulus, from queror (“I complain”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.