querulously

comparative more querulously · superlative most querulously

1. With grumbling, complaining, or whining.

   "If we're heroes," Dane asked a little querulously, "what are we doing locked up here?"

   1956, Andre Norton, chapter XVII, in Plague Ship

   3 more examples

   It was his last demonstration for that time; as, after shedding some more tears and querulously complaining that he couldn't breathe, he slowly fell into a slumber.

   1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, “What was behind Mr. Pancks on Little Dorrit’s Hand”, in Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC, 1st book (Poverty), page 313

   "There are no crimes and no criminals in these days," he said, querulously. "What is the use of having brains in our profession. I know well that I have it in me to make my name famous.[…]"

   1887, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “A Study in Scarlet”, in Beeton’s Christmas Annual, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward, Lock & Co., part I (Being a reprint from the reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., […]), chapter II (The Science of Deduction), page 14

   "I wish to 'eaven I 'adn't these silly sandals on," he cried querulously to the universe. "They give the whole blessed show away."

   1907, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “The German Air-fleet”, in The War in the Air: […], London: George Bell and Sons, published 1908, →OCLC, § 2, page 113

   Synonyms: fretfully, peevishly, whiningly