adj
surly
SUR-lee
Surly (adj) means Bad-tempered, unfriendly, and rude in manner. Example: “The surly waiter barely acknowledged us.”
adj
1
Bad-tempered, unfriendly, and rude in manner.
"The surly waiter barely acknowledged us."
"He gave a surly reply and walked off."
How to use surly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGrumpy, unfriendly, and short with people.
Common pairings
a surly teenager
surly attitude
a surly grunt
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Word forms
- Comparative
- surlier
- Superlative
- surliest
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The _____ waiter barely acknowledged us.
Etymology
A 16th-century alteration of "sirly", from "sir" + "-ly" — originally meant "lordly" or "arrogant" before shifting to today's "grumpy" sense.
Class of 1500
surly joined the language around 1500.
See the full Class of 1500 →
Related words
Rhymes for surly
See all rhymes for surly →Frequently asked questions
What does “surly” mean?
The word “surly” means bad-tempered, unfriendly, and rude in manner. In plain terms, grumpy, unfriendly, and short with people.
How do you pronounce “surly”?
“Surly” is pronounced SUR-lee (/ˈsɝli/ in IPA).
How do you use “surly” in a sentence?
Here is “surly” used in a sentence: “The surly waiter barely acknowledged us.”
What part of speech is “surly”?
“Surly” is an adjective.
Where does the word “surly” come from?
The word “surly” dates back to around 1500. A 16th-century alteration of "sirly", from "sir" + "-ly" — originally meant "lordly" or "arrogant" before shifting to today's "grumpy" sense.
