IRRITABLE Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

irritable

adjective

ˈir-ə-tə-bəl

Definition of irritable

as in fiery

easily irritated or annoyed that irritable old man always yells at people to stay off of his lawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of irritable While Hockney worked, Auden, as the artist recalled, played the part of the impatient, irritable grump. — Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026 Cancer could be affectionate and chatty one moment, and withdrawn and irritable the next, with little to no explanation. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 The symptoms are so delayed that people often blame them on food poisoning, irritable-bowel syndrome, gluten intolerance. — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Among the visitors on Wednesday was Mark Rutte, the Trump-whispering NATO secretary-general, tasked with trying to persuade an irritable president not to ditch the trans-Atlantic alliance. — Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irritable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritable

Adjective

Our previous card featured the fiery destruction of the Missouri Pacific depot in 1909.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 July 2026
And the hottest of the bunch, the green, is a fiery combination of both jalapeños and green habaneros.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of fiery

Adjective

For the first time, that includes In Living Color vet Kim Wayans, going large as irascible hospital staffer Nurse Ratchett.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
No true irascible aging genius worth his salt is without a ready supply of white socks brightening up the chest of drawers.

— Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Definition of irascible

Adjective

Producer Barack Obama, who will also appear on the show, previously teased his collaboration with the famously grumpy and opinionated David.

— Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
Ricky Gervais is his trademark grumpy self, just in cat form, at the beginning of the trailer for Netflix’s Alley Cats, the comic’s return to adult animation.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 June 2026

Definition of grumpy

Adjective

For the priests, this was a case of demonic possession due to witch-craft, and Mary’s crabby, aloof neighbor Elizabeth Jackson was the prime witch suspect.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
The show followed the destitute Cuylers — father Early, his illegitimate son Rusty, his meth-loving sister Lily, and his crabby grandmother Granny — and their various moneymaking high jinks.

— Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026