testy

adjective

tes·​ty ˈte-stē How to pronounce testy (audio)
testier; testiest
1
: easily annoyed : irritable
2
: marked by impatience or ill humor
testy remarks
testily adverb
testiness noun

Examples of testy in a Sentence

that coworker would be easier to get along with if she weren't so testy all the time
Recent Examples on the Web The Eagles broke up in 1980 while Sanders was writing and reporting his work, and details of that collapse, which apparently included testy comments from band members, was included in Sanders’ draft. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2024 But in 1998, a development was proposed for the site and, long story short, after a lengthy and testy battle, Springettsbury Township was able to acquire the site and preserve it. The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 Prosecutors have repeatedly accused Grossman’s lead attorney, Tony Buzbee, of trying to get in evidence barred before the trial began — often in testy exchanges with opposing counsel. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2024 Despite the win, Self was in a testy mood after the game. David Smale, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2024 Among the topics discussed: For the first time in quite some time, Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic actually got a friendly whistle in a Christmas Day win over the Golden State Warriors — prompting a testy rant from Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Aaron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2024 During one moment on the Senate floor, Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who crafted the border proposal, entered into a testy exchange. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 9 Feb. 2024 Coors Light has rap superstar LL Cool J as a train conductor defusing a testy situation. Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Feb. 2024 His press credential was suspended in November 2018 after a particularly testy exchange with former President Trump. Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'testy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English testif, from Anglo-French, headstrong, from teste head — more at tester entry 2

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of testy was in 1523

Dictionary Entries Near testy

Cite this Entry

“Testy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

testy

adjective
tes·​ty ˈtes-tē How to pronounce testy (audio)
testier; testiest
: easily annoyed : irritable
testily adverb
testiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on testy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!