Surley or Surly: Which is Correct Spellings?
Many mistakenly write "Surley" instead of the correct "Surly." "Surly" means ill-tempered or rude.
Which is correct: Surley or Surly
How to spell Surly?
Surley
Surley Spelling
Surly
Surly Spelling
Table of Contents
Is it Surley or Surly
Think of "surly" as a surly brother to "curly," both without an 'e.'
Link "surly" with "churlish"; both describe unpleasant manners and neither has an 'e' after the 'r'.
No 'e' in "rude," no 'e' in "surly."
Remember: Grumpy cats hiss, they don't hisse. Similarly, it's "surly," not "surley."
"Surely" you know it's not "Surley."
How Do You Spell Surly Correctly?
Incorrect: The surley boy refused to share his toys.
Correct: The surly boy refused to share his toys.
Incorrect: Why are you acting so surley today?
Correct: Why are you acting so surly today?
Incorrect: She was surley after losing the game.
Correct: She was surly after losing the game.
Incorrect: Avoid talking to him; he's in a surley mood.
Correct: Avoid talking to him; he's in a surly mood.
Incorrect: I didn't expect such a surley response.
Correct: I didn't expect such a surly response.
Surly Definitions
Surly refers to a mood that is bad-tempered and unfriendly.
The waiter gave me a surly look when I asked for a refill.
Surly means being irritable or grouchy.
Lack of sleep made him surly.
Surly can denote a person who is gruff or brusque in manner.
The guard's surly demeanor made visitors uneasy.
Surly implies being ill-natured or sullen.
The surly teenager grumbled about doing chores.
Surly describes someone who is churlish in behavior.
She was surly after hearing the bad news.
Surly Meaning in a Sentence
He's usually pleasant, but he's surly when he's tired.
The surly employee snapped at customers.
The surly dog barked at everyone.
The surly librarian hushed the children.
I don't want to deal with surly service.
The surly waiter ruined our dining experience.
She gave a surly reply to the simple question.
It's hard to work with surly colleagues.
Being hungry always makes me surly.
I got a surly look when I was late.
I was taken aback by her surly behavior.
She was surly because she lost her keys.
The coach was surly after the team’s loss.
Surly attitudes can ruin a party.
The surly mechanic didn’t explain the problem.
Surly behavior can push friends away.
The teacher was surly today, so we stayed quiet.
A surly receptionist isn’t good for business.
He's surly because he skipped breakfast.
Surly students were sent to the principal.
We should avoid the surly neighbor.
A surly attitude will not get you far.
He answered in a surly tone.
The surly bus driver didn’t greet anyone.
Avoid that shop; the owner is quite surly.
Why is the cat acting so surly?
A surly comment can hurt someone's feelings.
The surly attitude of the manager was discouraging.
I wish she wasn’t so surly in the mornings.
The surly child stomped his feet.
Surly Idioms & Phrases
Surly skies
A gloomy and threatening atmosphere.
With those surly skies, it looks like rain.
Give a surly nod
To acknowledge in a gruff manner.
He gave a surly nod when I greeted him.
A surly promise
A warning delivered in a gruff manner.
The coach gave a surly promise of extra practice for mistakes.
Turn a surly ear
To ignore or be unresponsive.
He turned a surly ear to our complaints.
Surly morning face
A grumpy expression upon waking up.
Don't mind him; he always has a surly morning face.
A surly gust
A sudden, unwelcome change.
The news brought a surly gust to our plans.
Hold a surly stance
To remain stubbornly grumpy.
No matter what we did, he held a surly stance.
Surly as an old cat
Someone very grumpy.
My grandpa can be as surly as an old cat when disturbed.
Surly winds
Harsh and cold winds.
The surly winds made it difficult to walk outside.
Surly as a bear waking up
Very grumpy and irritable.
Before his coffee, he's as surly as a bear waking up.
With a surly tongue
Speaking in a harsh manner.
She responded with a surly tongue.
Surly silence
An irritable or tense quietness.
The room fell into surly silence after the argument.
On surly ground
In a situation where grumpiness or irritation is prevalent.
After the bad call, the referee was on surly ground with the players.
Cast a surly shadow
To bring a mood down.
His bad attitude cast a surly shadow over the party.
Surly on the surface
Appearing grumpy, but kind underneath.
He might seem surly on the surface, but he's a sweetheart.
Wear a surly hat
To adopt a grumpy demeanor.
He seems to wear a surly hat whenever he's stressed.
Surly waters
Difficult or challenging situations.
Navigating teenage emotions is like crossing surly waters.
Surly by nature
Inherently grumpy or irritable.
Some people are just surly by nature.
Surly by the minute
Growing increasingly irritable.
He's getting surly by the minute; best to leave him alone.
Surly to the core
Completely and inherently irritable.
Some would say that old pirate was surly to the core.
Common Curiosities
What is the verb form of Surly?
Surly is primarily an adjective and doesn't have a standard verb form.
What is the root word of Surly?
Surly is derived from the word "sirly," which means "lordly, imperious."
Is Surly a noun or adjective?
Surly is an adjective.
How many syllables are in Surly?
Surly has two syllables.
Which vowel is used before Surly?
No specific vowel is typically used before "Surly."
How do we divide Surly into syllables?
Surly is divided as Sur-ly.
Is Surly a vowel or consonant?
Surly is a word, not a single letter. It contains both vowels and consonants.
What is a stressed syllable in Surly?
The first syllable, "Sur," is stressed in Surly.
What is the pronunciation of Surly?
Surly is pronounced as "SUR-lee."
Is the Surly term a metaphor?
Surly is not a metaphor. However, it can be used metaphorically in certain contexts.
Is the word Surly is Gerund?
No, Surly is not a gerund.
Is Surly an adverb?
No, Surly is not an adverb.
What is another term for Surly?
Another term for Surly is "grumpy" or "irritable."
Why is it called Surly?
The term "Surly" is derived from the Middle English word "sirly," which means "lordly or imperious," hinting at a domineering manner.
What is the opposite of Surly?
The opposite of Surly is "pleasant" or "friendly."
What is the singular form of Surly?
Surly itself is in singular form.
Which conjunction is used with Surly?
Any conjunction can be used with "Surly" depending on the sentence, such as "and," "but," or "or."
Is the word Surly is imperative?
No, Surly is an adjective, not an imperative verb.
What part of speech is Surly?
Surly is an adjective.
Which determiner is used with Surly?
Determiners like "a," "the," or "that" can be used with Surly depending on the context.
Is Surly an abstract noun?
No, Surly is an adjective, not a noun.
Is Surly a negative or positive word?
Surly has a negative connotation.
Is Surly a countable noun?
Surly is not a noun; it's an adjective.
Is Surly a collective noun?
No, Surly is an adjective.
Is the word “Surly” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Surly is an adjective. It doesn't function as a direct or indirect object.
How is Surly used in a sentence?
Surly is used to describe someone's mood or attitude, e.g., "He was surly after being woken up early."
What is the plural form of Surly?
Adjectives in English typically don't have plural forms. So, Surly remains Surly.
Which preposition is used with Surly?
Different prepositions can be used with "Surly" based on context. Examples include "surly about" or "surly toward."
Which article is used with Surly?
Both "a" and "the" can be used with Surly depending on the context: e.g., "a surly attitude" or "the surly waiter."
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