curmudgeon
/kɜː(ɹ)ˈmʌdʒ.ən/
Group 27Difficulty 2/3
Definition
- (noun)
- A bad-tempered or surly person GRE
Example in Context
The neighborhood curmudgeon, who complained about everything from barking dogs to holiday lights, was secretly the anonymous donor behind the community garden.
Synonyms
grouchgrumpcrank
Etymology
A term derived from English describing someone who is cranky or ill-tempered.
- curmudgeon (English) — grumpy person
Memory Aid
👴Sounds like “curmudgeon sounds like grumpy old man”
Imagine a CURMUDGEON chasing kids away from his lawn, yelling about how 'back in my day' things were better!
Visual Association
😠An old man shaking his fist at a group of children playing on his lawn, looking very unhappy.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “curmudgeon” mean on the GRE?
curmudgeon (noun) means “A bad-tempered or surly person”. The neighborhood curmudgeon, who complained about everything from barking dogs to holiday lights, was secretly the anonymous donor behind the community garden.
How to remember “curmudgeon” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “curmudgeon” sounds like “curmudgeon sounds like grumpy old man”. Imagine a CURMUDGEON chasing kids away from his lawn, yelling about how 'back in my day' things were better!
What are synonyms for “curmudgeon”?
Common synonyms: grouch, grump, crank.