testy

adjective

tes·​ty ˈte-stē 

testier; testiest

1

: easily annoyed : irritable

2

: marked by impatience or ill humor

testy remarks

testily

ˈte-stə-lē 

adverb

testiness

ˈte-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of testy

• irritable
• fiery

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

Argentina will face Spain in the FIFA men’s World Cup final on Sunday, after the defending champions beat England 2-1 in a testy showdown on Wednesday. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 15 July 2026

The first half was a scrappy, testy affair with very little rhythm or rhyme from both teams. — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

Despite this testy demeanor, fine hair is a little misunderstood. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 July 2026

The testy negotiation, punctuated by Rick promising to machete Gareth to death, is interrupted by the distant sound of gunfire and a huge explosion—Carol has arrived. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026

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

Rhymes for testy

• arrestee
• contestee

Kids Definition

testy

adjective

tes·​ty ˈtes-tē 

testier; testiest

: easily annoyed : irritable

testily

-tə-lē 

adverb

testiness

-tē-nəs 

noun