Definitions

irritable

[ir-i-tuh-buhl] / ˈɪr ɪ tə bəl /

ADJECTIVE

bad-tempered, crabby

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annoyed contentious exasperated fractious petulant prickly resentful surly testy

WEAK

bearish brooding cantankerous carping choleric complaining crabbed cross crotchety disputatious dissatisfied dyspeptic easily offended fiery fretful fretting gloomy grouchy grumbling hasty hot huffy hypercritical ill-humored irascible moody morose out of humor oversensitive peevish plaintive querulous quick-tempered sensitive snappy snarling tense touchy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

happy pleasant

WEAK

cheerful nice

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The quiet and irritable TV editor I met at Guelaguetza on Olympic Boulevard.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

They also reported feeling more irritable, less engaged, and more likely to perceive the music as sad.

From Science Daily • May 3, 2026

"I could tell my dopamine was shot because I was irritable and didn't want to answer basic questions about my day."

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

"He went from being confident, energetic, and present to being withdrawn, irritable, forgetful - and he just seemed to be constantly in pain," she said.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

The blurred red glow at ankle level was the coal fire of the double range whose door was kicked shut just then with a great clang and an irritable shout.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Vocabulary lists containing irritable

Curmudgeon, Cantankerous and Churlish: Grouchy Words

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Esperanza Rising

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Among the Hidden

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!