Curmudgeon

A curmudgeon is a bad-tempered, difficult, and often elderly person. They are typically cantankerous and ill-natured, often complaining and grumbling about trivial matters. Their pessimistic outlook and tendency to find fault in others and situations make them unpleasant company. A curmudgeon often resists change, clinging to traditional values and displaying a general dislike for anything new or modern. Their behavior frequently stems from deep-seated unhappiness or dissatisfaction with life, leading them to project their negativity onto the world around them.

Curmudgeon meaning with examples

• The old man, a notorious curmudgeon in the neighborhood, would yell at children playing on his lawn and scowl at anyone who dared to speak to him. His constant complaints about noise and property values made him the bane of everyone’s existence. He never smiled, and he seemed to find joy only in expressing his displeasure. Even the mailman avoided his house.
• Despite his brilliance as a writer, Mr. Henderson was known as a curmudgeon; his interviews were notoriously difficult, often filled with terse answers and sharp criticisms. He’d refuse to autograph books, and always had something negative to say about the publishers and their efforts, or the reading public and their literary taste. Anyone hoping for a pleasant meeting was sorely disappointed.
• The family dreaded the holidays because of their grumpy Uncle George, a true curmudgeon, whose negativity sucked all the joy out of the festivities. His persistent complaints about the food, the gifts, and the guests created a tense atmosphere. He’d pick arguments about the weather or the decorations, making the celebrations a burden, but the children looked forward to getting their gifts.
• Every day, Mrs. Gable, the office's resident curmudgeon, would start the morning with a litany of complaints about the weather, her commute, and the younger employees' lack of work ethic. Her office always had a dark pall that emanated from its space, the place where only complaints were given out. Her negativity cast a shadow over everyone else’s good mood.