WordValequerulous
complaining in a peevish way
In more detail
1. (adjective) complaining a lot or in an annoying way; tending to whine or grumble
2. (adjective) showing or expressing complaints
Examples
- 1. He spoke in a querulous voice, constantly complaining about the weather and everything else.
- 2. The querulous tone of the letter made it clear the customer was very dissatisfied.
How to use querulous
Querulous describes a habitual or characteristic tendency to complain, often with an annoyed or whiny quality. It is more formal and literary than complaining or whining, and carries a stronger note of irritation or unreasonableness. It frequently describes the manner of speaking or the person speaking rather than isolated complaints.
Common phrases
- querulous voice
- querulous tone
- querulous complaint
- querulous old man
- grow querulous
Synonyms
whining · complaining · peevish · petulant · grumbling
Opposites
content · satisfied · uncomplaining
Word family
querulously (adverb) · querulousness (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use querulous to mean merely "questioning" or "inquisitive" when they confuse it with the word "query"; querulous is specifically about complaining, not asking questions.
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