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.

Irritable, neurotic, decent, confused and sardonic, Larry is a refreshing nod to the kind of spiky haplessness Jack Lemmon mastered.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

Amy had been misdiagnosed as having Irritable Bowel Syndrome until a procedure at 26 revealed she was suffering from severe endometriosis.

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2024

Irritable and untouchable, George Kirby blissfully found his happy place Monday night.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic gastrointestinal disease and is treated with the neurotransmitter serotonin.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Irritable, jealous, and despotic, like all weak men, he dreaded nothing so much as what he called an insult to his authority.

From The Clique of Gold by Gaboriau, Émile

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!