as in irritable
having or showing a habitually bad temper
the newspaper publisher's splenetic editorials often struck fear into local politicians
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Recent Examples of splenetic
And while there is enough splenetic wit and manic detail to generate obsessive fandom (entire sections of Web sites are dedicated to deciphering just what Kenny is mumbling), subjects like alien abduction, genetic engineering, and Kathie Lee are hardly original targets for satire.
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Chris Norris, SPIN, 13 Aug. 2022
Meanwhile, the commentator and controversialist Piers Morgan, an obsessively close observer and relentless critic of Meghan, inevitably waded in with his usual splenetic views.
—Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2022
Moscow’s splenetic response to the European visit underscored Putin’s anger over Ukraine’s tightening bonds with Europe.
—Laura Kingstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2022
In Rithy Panh’s frenetic, splenetic new hybrid essay film, everything will most assuredly not be OK.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 Feb. 2022
Despite the politicians’ splenetic arguments all week, Macron’s plan passed the National Assembly by a vote of 214 to 93.
—Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2022
In the end, the IRA’s menagerie of false personas and fusillades of splenetic memes were arguably more effective at garnering sensationalistic headlines than shifting public opinion.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2020
Parlá is loose with his fields of color, but never splenetic.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2020
Kalder proposes Lenin as the originator of the modern totalitarian style in prose, adopting Marx’s splenetic polemical tone for the purposes of Communist revolution.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2019
Chris Norris, SPIN, 13 Aug. 2022
Meanwhile, the commentator and controversialist Piers Morgan, an obsessively close observer and relentless critic of Meghan, inevitably waded in with his usual splenetic views.
—Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2022
Moscow’s splenetic response to the European visit underscored Putin’s anger over Ukraine’s tightening bonds with Europe.
—Laura Kingstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2022
In Rithy Panh’s frenetic, splenetic new hybrid essay film, everything will most assuredly not be OK.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 Feb. 2022
Despite the politicians’ splenetic arguments all week, Macron’s plan passed the National Assembly by a vote of 214 to 93.
—Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2022
In the end, the IRA’s menagerie of false personas and fusillades of splenetic memes were arguably more effective at garnering sensationalistic headlines than shifting public opinion.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2020
Parlá is loose with his fields of color, but never splenetic.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2020
Kalder proposes Lenin as the originator of the modern totalitarian style in prose, adopting Marx’s splenetic polemical tone for the purposes of Communist revolution.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splenetic
Adjective
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Coupled with erratic blood sugar levels – often caused by diets high in refined sugars and low in nutrients – these energy dips and spikes can leave you feeling irritable and drained.Lina Begdache, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2025
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This can contribute to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, and irritable mood.Rosanna Sutherby, PharmD, Verywell Health, 3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Waves of immigration have sparked an angry ethno-nationalism that advantages ideological extremes.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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There’s also a troubling recurrent theme of angry, violent, and/or distraught mothers, who we are asked to watch suffer or inflict suffering on others time and time again.Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Everyone within her radius bears the germophobe’s wrath, with the only one who can occasionally pierce through her bilious anger being her upbeat hair-stylist sister Chantal (Michelle Austin), a mother of two vibrant daughters.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2025
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The piece ran under an illustration of a black spatula dripping sinister goblets of melting plastic, against a background of bilious green.Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Sometimes that means confronting disagreeable people.David Plazas, The Tennessean, 24 Apr. 2024
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The most important reason to avoid obsessing over China’s disagreeable regime, however, is that this fixation threatens a core U.S. advantage: Washington’s wide network of partners and allies.Evan S. Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2021
Adjective
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Carrey portrays Ebenezer Scrooge, a cantankerous, greedy old man who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who show him the error of his ways.Keith Langston, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024
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The endearing homecoming introduces new characters including Moni (Hualalai Chung), a passionate island bard; Loto (Rose Matafeo), a quirky shipwright; Kele (David Fane), a cantankerous farmer; and Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), Moana’s tenacious younger sister.Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Since azaleas are acid soil-loving plants, pine needles, aged pine bark, or leaf mold are ideal mulches.Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2024
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Last year, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined Intel for failing to control air emissions of acid gases at its Hillsboro chip production facility.Arlene Blum, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The offensive line, in Monken’s estimation, is the most talented and possibly most ornery unit he’s had at West Point, all the way down to wrestling each other to settle arguments about who’s tougher.Brian Hamilton, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
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They’re led by John Dutton III, an ornery character who nevertheless carries the kind of gravitas that only a veteran movie star like Kevin Costner can bring.Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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As Cha-il, the auditing department’s perpetually exasperated and hypervigilant leader, Shin helps to uncover various scandals and white collar crimes.Simon Abrams, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
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There’s comic mileage in Gromit’s expressive eyes – ranging from exasperated to determined – as the heroic dog endeavors to save the day.Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near splenetic
Cite this Entry
“Splenetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splenetic. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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