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.

A woman says doctors mistook her endometriosis for irritable bowel syndrome, as new figures show diagnosis delays are getting longer.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

This discovery may also help explain a range of digestive issues, including food intolerances and irritable bowel syndrome.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

A person may also become extremely confused and paranoid, easily upset, moody and irritable.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

AbbVie cut the list price of Linzess, a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, by about 50%, to $282 a month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

I follow him to our darkened compartment, which is already occupied by three sleeping soldiers, a stout nun, and an irritable hen.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

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!