adj
ornery
AW-nuh-ree
Ornery (adj) means Stubborn, grumpy, and difficult to deal with. Example: “The old mule was too ornery to be led anywhere.”
adj
1
Stubborn, grumpy, and difficult to deal with.
"Through Michael sped the thought: 'Could I make her jealous?' And he was shocked at it. A low-down thought—mean and ornery!"
— John Galsworthy, Sleuth (1924)
"The old mule was too ornery to be led anywhere."
"Don't mind him — he gets ornery when he's tired."
How to use ornery
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGrumpy, stubborn, and hard to deal with.
When to use it
Informal, mostly American — has a folksy, rural flavor.
Common pairings
ornery old man
get ornery
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Word forms
- Comparative
- ornerier
- Superlative
- orneriest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old mule was too _____ to be led anywhere.
Etymology
A dialect contraction of "ordinary" — the word originally just meant "common" or "plain," but drifted over time in American speech to mean stubborn and cranky.
Related words
Rhymes for ornery
See all rhymes for ornery →Frequently asked questions
What does “ornery” mean?
The word “ornery” means stubborn, grumpy, and difficult to deal with. In plain terms, grumpy, stubborn, and hard to deal with.
How do you pronounce “ornery”?
“Ornery” is pronounced AW-nuh-ree (/ˈɔɹnəɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “ornery” in a sentence?
Here is “ornery” used in a sentence: “The old mule was too ornery to be led anywhere.”
What part of speech is “ornery”?
“Ornery” is an adjective.
