grouchiness

UK: /ˈgraʊtʃɪnɪs/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

grouch /graʊtʃ/   n. 

[countable]
1. a complaining and continually unhappy person:
   an old grouch.

v. [no object]

2. to complain irritably or unhappily:
   He grouched about his job.

grouch•i•ness, n. [uncountable]
grouch•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

grouch  (grouch), v.i. 

1. to be sulky or morose;
   show discontent;
   complain, esp. in an irritable way.

n. 

2. a sulky, complaining, or morose person.
3. a sulky, irritable, or morose mood.

• Old French groucher to grumble. See grudge
• variant of obsolete grutch 1890–95, American.

Synonyms

• 2. grumbler, spoilsport, crab, killjoy.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

grouch•y  (grou′chē), adj., grouch•i•er, grouch•i•est. 

1. sullenly discontented;
   sulky;
   morose;
   ill-tempered.

• grouch + -y¹ 1890–95, American.

grouch′i•ly, adv. 
grouch′i•ness, n. 

Grou•chy  (gro̅o̅ shē′), n. 

Em•ma•nu•el  (e ma ny el′), Marquis de, 1766–1847, French general.