ornery

Sadly, the circumstances of our birth also sentenced us to put up with picayune, ornery, solipsistic types like him.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026

Josh Charles stars as a talented but ornery surgeon who leaves his career in Boston to become a doctor in a small town.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025

The Breeders’ Cup Classic attracted some horses as old as four and five — tough, ornery veterans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2023

It falls to Asha, her quirky friends, an ornery talking goat sidekick and a cute fallen star to rebel against Magnifico to get the wishes back.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 21, 2023

“She’s as stubborn as a goat and just as smart. Aye, I’ve met a few ornery souls in my day, but none so cross as her.”

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

Brustein’s universalism grew ornerier and more claustrophobic with age.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2023

He was mebby thinking how much ornerier that would make the hull scheme.

From Danny's Own Story by Don Marquis

Pitching in the brilliant sunshine July sunshine with temperatures in the low 80s, the orneriest of the Mariners starters delivered an outstanding performance in a season filled with them.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2023

In a family with six children, Bob wasn’t the oldest Stoops child - that title belongs to brother Ron Jr. - but Kathy says Bob was the edgiest, the feistiest, the orneriest.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 4, 2017

“Colleen was the orneriest one in the pool, but boy, could she swim!”

From Washington Times ● Jan. 7, 2017

And ... if he wishes to further extend his inventive genius to elephant snares, our special elephant trap welders make welds unconditionally guaranteed to discourage the attempt of the orneriest pachyderm to "walk away mil."

From Time Magazine Archive

But even at their orneriest, consonants were fun.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli