as in fiery
easily irritated or annoyed
that irritable old man always yells at people to stay off of his lawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irritable
Insecurities manifest in irritable outbursts as the moon clashes with Mars!
—
USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2025
Doc describes general medicine as part doctor, part detective, and that day's appointments deal with irritable bowel, heat rash, and folliculitis.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Every child is different, but these nine common signs could mean your child is craving more of your time and focus:
Yelling
Children who need more attention often become loud and irritable.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 9 Dec. 2024
This includes going from feeling very happy, irritable, with a marked increase in activity level (mania), to feeling sad, indifferent, or hopeless with very low activity levels (depression).
—New Atlas, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for irritable 
USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2025
Doc describes general medicine as part doctor, part detective, and that day's appointments deal with irritable bowel, heat rash, and folliculitis.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Every child is different, but these nine common signs could mean your child is craving more of your time and focus:
Yelling
Children who need more attention often become loud and irritable.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 9 Dec. 2024
This includes going from feeling very happy, irritable, with a marked increase in activity level (mania), to feeling sad, indifferent, or hopeless with very low activity levels (depression).
—New Atlas, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for irritable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritable
Adjective
-
In some ways, Ms. Meloni has provided a road map for hard-right leaders seeking to win and hold power in Europe: Talk a fiery game, but tack to the center on some issues — most notably support for Ukraine.—
Jim Tankersley,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
-
For the occasion, Queen Letizia leaned into a fiery red colorway, wearing a bold red pantsuit with coordinated trousers and double-breasted blazer.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The film’s co-star, Diane Kruger, plays several roles, notably Karsh’s late wife (seen in flashback) and her snappish veterinarian-turned-dog-groomer sister.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
20 May 2024
-
Keynes is a snappish but patient listener.—
Maggie Lange,
Washington Post,
19 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
The irascible superstar was suspended by the team after demanding to be traded, with the Warriors reportedly one of his preferred destinations.—
Evan Webeck,
The Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2025
-
As Bears coach, Ditka was confident enough in his position to accept the involvement of the irascible, disrespectful but skillful defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan as necessary to the team’s Super Bowl success.—
Michael Peregrine,
Forbes,
27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Rojas’s recollections weren’t peevish—fine work was produced under these conditions.—
Ian Parker,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
-
The songs are muscular and syncretic as ever, but the normally peevish rapper doesn’t maintain his trolling energy for the full record, settling into a questioning and pensive pace.—
Stephen Kearse,
TIME,
8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Share [Findings] Marine biologists described the Red Sea’s grumpy dwarfgoby.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harper's Magazine,
22 Jan. 2025
-
These residents are forever loyal, even when grumpy, about their teams.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The only people who can help Sara and Devin are Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), a grouchy mountain man, and Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), a mute Shoshone girl fleeing her own violent past.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
9 Jan. 2025
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The fans who booed last week at Gillette Stadium seemed more grouchy than outraged.—
Steve Buckley,
The Athletic,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Cunha reacted with a petulant bout of foot-stamping and flailing of arms in response to not receiving a cutback to the edge of the box.—
Steve Madeley,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Scott’s Tom Ripley was a clean break from that of Matt Damon; instead of a petulant pretty boy seized by envy and lust, this Ripley was older (Scott is in his late forties) and scarier, a lonesome manipulator with a murderous gleam in his eye.—
Michael Schulman,
The New Yorker,
9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
This time, however, she is joined by a crew consisting of an enthusiastic young engineer, a crabby senior farmer and a history-preserving storyteller.—
Julie Hinds,
Detroit Free Press,
26 Nov. 2024
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What Kate will not thank him for is being a big crabby baby about her relationship with Dennison.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near irritable
Cite this Entry
“Irritable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritable. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
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