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Definitions

tetchy

[tech-ee] / ˈtɛtʃ i /
ADJECTIVE
testy
Synonyms
WEAK
annoyed bad-tempered cantankerous captious choleric crabbed cranky cross crotchety edgy exasperated fretful grouchy grumpy impatient irascible mean ornery out of sorts peevish peppery petulant quarrelsome quick-tempered short-tempered snappy splenetic sullen thin-skinned touchy uptight waspish

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.

When they meet Thursday night in Milan, these tetchy border rivals will have met in the Olympic final seven out of eight times since the sport was introduced at the 1998 Games.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Porter apologized and expressed remorse for her tetchy behavior.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

Stokes said he was shell-shocked in some tetchy post-match media interactions, comments that were used against the captain as England lost the PR battle in the days after the Test.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2025

I am not upset if he was a little tetchy.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

People had been teasing her so much about being the thing that Viktor Krum would most miss that she was in a rather tetchy mood.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling