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surly
[ sur-lee ]
adjective
- churlishly rude or bad-tempered:
a surly waiter.
Synonyms: crabby, grouchy, grumpy, cross, choleric, splenetic, irascible, brusque, uncivil, sullen
- unfriendly or hostile; menacingly irritable:
a surly old lion.
Synonyms: malevolent, threatening
- dark or dismal; menacing; threatening:
a surly sky.
Synonyms: ominous
- Obsolete. lordly; arrogant.
surly
/ ˈsɜːlɪ /
adjective
- sullenly ill-tempered or rude
- (of an animal) ill-tempered or refractory
- dismal
- obsolete.arrogant
Derived Forms
- ˈsurliness, noun
- ˈsurlily, adverb
Other Words From
- surli·ly adverb
- surli·ness noun
- un·surli·ly adverb
- un·surli·ness noun
- un·surly adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of surly1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Some days it’s a little bit surly at first—it’s hard to wake it up.
Cramped seats, mask requirements and surly service aren’t the worst part of international airline travel.
Cole flirts with selling drugs, but as it turns out, he has a way with horses, most notably a surly creature known as Boo.
Housebound’s surly protagonist is fed up with her house arrest from day one.
Even now, the GOP still polls less well than the Democratic Party with a surly electorate.
So, Dean picks Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook), a dorky, surly art student.
No word on if this outrageous sum, which Stewart raised for Hurricane Sandy relief, merited a smile from the famously surly star.
This was a guy so surly and grim that he made Tommy Lee Jones look like SpongeBob SquarePants.
It was a bit like watching a surly jazz musician, channeling Miles Davis, take the stage.
He had no other opportunity; for the Jew remained very surly and silent till night, when he prepared to go abroad.
The stern officer gave a surly refusal, replying, "My orders are to take you first."
Mr. Clatt was not visible, but left his cottage at Isabel's call, and gave them something more than his usual surly greeting.
The shop officer has repeatedly warned me against my disrespectful and surly manner.
I reached Bernay to breakfast, and, for the first time in France, met with a surly host and a sour hostess.
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