testy

tes·ty

adjective \ˈtes-tē\

tes·ti·ertes·ti·est

Definition of TESTY

1

: easily annoyed : irritable

2

: marked by impatience or ill humor <testy remarks>

— tes·ti·ly \-tə-lē\ adverb

— tes·ti·ness \-tē-nəs\ noun

Examples of TESTY

1. <that coworker would be easier to get along with if she weren't so testy all the time>

Origin of TESTY

Middle English testif, from Anglo-French, headstrong, from teste head — more at tester

First Known Use: 1523

Related to TESTY

Synonyms

choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, peevish, perverse, pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, irritable, waspish

Related Words

bearish, bilious, cantankerous, cross-grained, curmudgeonly, disagreeable, dyspeptic, ill-humored, ill-natured, ill-tempered, off-color (or off-colored), ornery, querulous, snarly, surly; argumentative, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, disputatious, fractious, fretful, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent; huffy, pouty, sensitive, short, sulky, sullen, tetchy, thin-skinned, touchy; hot-blooded, passionate

Near Antonyms

affable, companionable, cordial, extroverted (also extraverted), friendly, genial, gregarious, outgoing, sociable; agreeable, amiable, good-natured, good-tempered, sweet, well-disposed; carefree, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, relaxed; forbearing, long-suffering, obliging, patient, stoic (or stoical), tolerant, uncomplaining, understanding

Rhymes with TESTY

chesty, pesty, zesty