surly

adjective
UK: /ˈsɜː.li/
US: /ˈsɝː.li/

  1. Bad-tempered and unfriendly.

    1. The surly waiter didn't even make eye contact when he took our order.
    2. His surly attitude made it difficult to have a productive conversation with him about the project.

Synonyms

unfriendly irritable grouchy grumpy bad-tempered

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "surly" is /ˈsɜː.li/ in British English and /ˈsɝː.li/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "surly": unfriendly, irritable, grouchy, grumpy, bad-tempered.

Example usage of "surly": "The surly waiter didn't even make eye contact when he took our order.". More examples on the page.