WordValeornery
bad-tempered and difficult
In more detail
1. (adjective) bad-tempered and difficult to deal with
2. (adjective) stubborn and unwilling to cooperate
Examples
- 1. The ornery old man complained about everything in the store.
- 2. That ornery mule refused to move no matter how hard we pulled.
How to use ornery
Ornery describes someone who is both ill-tempered and obstinately uncooperative, often with a hint of amusement or affection from the speaker. It's more colloquial and folksy than formal synonyms like cantankerous, and frequently applied to older or gruff characters. The term carries a sense of predictable crankiness rather than serious malice.
Common phrases
- ornery old man
- ornery disposition
- ornery streak
- ornery cuss
- get ornery
Synonyms
irritable · cantankerous · stubborn · belligerent · curmudgeonly
Opposites
amiable · cooperative · good-natured
Word family
ornery (adjective) · orneriness (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use ornery to mean merely stubborn without the bad-tempered component; the word requires both qualities.
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