splenetic

adjective

spli-ˈne-tik How to pronounce splenetic (audio)
Definition of spleneticnext
as in irritable
having or showing a habitually bad temper the newspaper publisher's splenetic editorials often struck fear into local politicians

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 splenetic Still, the internet nurtures these Hobbesian, splenetic views. — Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026 In Rithy Panh’s frenetic, splenetic new hybrid essay film, everything will most assuredly not be OK. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 Feb. 2022 Despite the politicians’ splenetic arguments all week, Macron’s plan passed the National Assembly by a vote of 214 to 93. — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2022 Moscow’s splenetic response to the European visit underscored Putin’s anger over Ukraine’s tightening bonds with Europe. — Laura Kingstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2022 Meanwhile, the commentator and controversialist Piers Morgan, an obsessively close observer and relentless critic of Meghan, inevitably waded in with his usual splenetic views. — Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2022 Kalder proposes Lenin as the originator of the modern totalitarian style in prose, adopting Marx’s splenetic polemical tone for the purposes of Communist revolution. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splenetic
  1. irritable
  2. angry
  3. bilious
  4. dyspeptic
  5. cantankerous
  6. disagreeable
  7. acid
  8. ornery
Adjective
  • 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
  • Cancer could be affectionate and chatty one moment, and withdrawn and irritable the next, with little to no explanation.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
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • The Commission ultimately left it at 400 feet, prompting an intense reaction from the angry crowd.
    — Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 July 2026
  • Some of the women who were angry contacted the SFMOMA not simply to share feedback, but to try to ensure Bahr could never work with the institution again.
    — Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of angry
Adjective
  • Sun shrinking and getting hotter; everything bilious, oxygenless, not great for living.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Minaj’s bilious flurry is possibly related to claims that she is owed between $100 to 200 million related to her stake in Tidal, the music streaming service launched and spearheaded by Jay-Z in 2015 and was sold to Jack Dorsey’s company Square for $297 million in 2021.
    — Andrew Flanagan, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
Definition of bilious
Adjective
  • Better is Danny Elfman’s spartan and fraught score, particularly the dyspeptic drums.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
  • But Kael sensed in her less dyspeptic moments that there was something special about Redford.
    — Stephen Galloway, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of dyspeptic
Adjective
  • Principle photography is underway in London, with Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum sharing his memories of contending with Winston’s cantankerous Tyrannosaurus Rex.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • The pièce de résistance is Belle’s willingness to engage with a cantankerous lion-man who has an outrageous temper, thanks to the chip on his very large shoulder.
    — Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
Definition of cantankerous
Adjective
  • There are also a lot of people who have never dreamed of being disagreeable in public, much less considered joining a raucous social movement.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
  • The disagreeable object proved no match for the most fertile person in Montana.
    — Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of disagreeable
Adjective
  • Scotto highlighted that Kinetik has purpose-built its system for sour gas handling, giving it an edge over new competitors that may face permitting delays of at least three years to build acid gas injection wells.
    — TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 21 June 2026
  • On the other hand, a hydrangea species that can sometimes disappoint Chicago-area gardeners is the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), known for having big blue blooms when grown in acid soil and popular in the eastern United States.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • Leach also would publicly call out his players and could get ornery when questioned about his team’s shortcomings.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 2 June 2026
  • The rabbi is ornery, arrogant, sometimes cruel.
    — Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of ornery

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splendors
splenetic
splice
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Cite this Entry

“Splenetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splenetic. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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