Austin Aries

Nobody walks through life as a pure babyface per se or a pure heel, we all have shades of grey, and there's some days we're a little better than others, and some days we're a little more ornery. And I think that I just embody that.

American Wrestler

Rory Gallagher

I think rock should always stay a little bit outside the pale; I think it should remain a little bit dangerous - a little bit ornery, as the Americans say.

Irish Musician

Jimmy Piersall

I asked my doctor how many more years I have left and he said, 'You're too ornery to die.

American Athlete

Ornery often implies a negative judgment and may offend if used to describe people directly.

Usually Negative

Most common in casual conversation, not in formal writing or speeches.

Colloquial Usage

Ornery often describes someone's temporary mood or attitude rather than a permanent trait.

Emotional State

Emphasizes the stubbornness or resistance of a non-human subject to change or deal with.

Challenging Nature

Use when expressing personal irritation with an object or situation.

Personal Frustration

Figuratively describes inanimate objects as having a will of their own.

Not Literal Opposition

 of people the world over. But while popular culture depicts them as clumsy, adorable birds with endlessly abundant populations, the truth is that penguins are exceedingly graceful, often ornery, and their populations are in rapid free fall.