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Definition of petulant : 1. Capriciously fretful; characterized by ill- natured freakishness; irritable.
2. Forward; pert; insolent; wanton.

Synonyms:

rasping, plaguey, crank, wilful, techy, spotty, irritating, wayward, plaguy, pettish, querulous, vexatious, grating, fractious, abrasive, perverse, ungovernable, bothersome, recalcitrant, nettlesome, intractable, vexing, disagreeable, scratchy, factious, ill-tempered, testy, tippy, uneven, pestering, rough, raspy, snappy, out of sorts, annoying, bad-tempered, peckish, nasty, teasing, stubborn, waspish, excitable, tender, pesky, pestiferous, froward, galling, ugly, attitude, tetchy, untoward, gravelly, ill-natured, refractory

bitchy, touchy, acerbic, bearish, spiteful, cranky, huffy, cantankerous, prickly, churlish, snappish, bellicose, cross, bitter, acid, irascible, crusty, peevish, petty, sour, irritable, caustic, surly, acrimonious, crabbed, tart

mean, moping, beetle-browed, morose, long-faced, unfriendly, glowering, frowning, crabby, grim, melancholy, glum, grumpy, hostile, sullen, scowling, grouchy, dissociable, unsociable, ungenial, gloomy, broody, uncooperative, contrary, dark, cynical, sulky, malevolent, obstinate, fretful, dour, moody, dejected, noncooperative

Usage examples:

• Major King surrendered his arms to the sergeant with a petulant, lofty shrug of his shoulders. - "The Rustler of Wind River", G. W. Ogden.
• She was only to be restrained from peeping, by Braintop's petulant " Pray, ma'am!" - "The Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith", George Meredith.
• The self- regard and self- absorption, petulant dislike of fellow- Christians' peculiarities, the indifference which comes from lack of imaginative sympathy, and which ministers to the ignorance which causes it, and a thousand other weaknesses in Christian character bring about the deplorable alienation which but too plainly marks the relation of Christian communities and of individual Christians to one another in this day. - "Expositions of Holy Scripture: Romans Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)", Alexander Maclaren.