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Standoffish vs Grumpy - What's the difference?

standoffish | grumpy |

As adjectives the difference between standoffish and grumpy

is that standoffish is aloof; reserved; unsociable and unfriendly while grumpy is unhappy, dissatisfied and/or irritable.

standoffish

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Aloof; reserved; unsociable and unfriendly.
  • *1899 ,
    • He was stand–offish with the other agents, and they on their side said he was the manager’s spy upon them.
  • *1922 , , Ulysses , episode 16,
  • *:His initial impression was that he was a bit standoffish or not over effusive.
  • *1928 , , Lady Chatterley's Lover , ch. 7,
  • *:They were always a haughty family, standoffish in a way, as they've a right to be.

    • Synonyms

    *cold *distant

    Related terms

    *standoffishness

    See also

    *standoff *stand off

    References

    * * * "standoffish" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary , 1987–1996.

    grumpy

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Unhappy, dissatisfied and/or irritable.
    • Tommy feels grumpy today because his friend stole his ball.
    Michael Finnell was grumpy''', but became even '''grumpier when the Celtics lost.

    Synonyms

    * grouchy * surly * truculent