Surly: meaning, definitions and examples

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surly

[ ˈsɜːrli ]

^{Context #1}

attitude

bad-tempered and unfriendly

Synonyms

grouchy, grumpy, moody, sullen

Examples of usage

He gave me a surly look.
She responded in a surly manner.
Don't be so surly with your coworkers.
The customer service representative was surly and unhelpful.
The surly attitude of the boss made the employees uncomfortable.

^{Context #2}

appearance

dark or dismal in appearance

Synonyms

dismal, dreary, gloomy, sullen

Examples of usage

The surly clouds signaled an approaching storm.
The old house had a surly, neglected look about it.

Translations

Translations of the word "surly" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mal-humorado

🇮🇳 कुंठित

🇩🇪 mürrisch

🇮🇩 pemarah

🇺🇦 буркотливий

🇵🇱 ponury

🇯🇵 不機嫌な

🇫🇷 maussade

🇪🇸 malhumorado

🇹🇷 somurtkan

🇰🇷 성질 부리는

🇸🇦 عابس

🇨🇿 mrzutý

🇸🇰 mrzutý

🇨🇳 脾气暴躁的

🇸🇮 godrnjav

🇮🇸 fúll

🇰🇿 ашулы

🇬🇪 ფიცხი

🇦🇿 əsəbi

🇲🇽 malhumorado

Word origin

The word 'surly' has its origins in Middle English, derived from the Old French word 'sur,' meaning 'sour.' The term evolved over time to describe someone who is bad-tempered or unfriendly. It has been used in English literature for centuries to depict characters with a gloomy or hostile demeanor.