snappish

adjective

snap·​pish ˈsna-pish How to pronounce snappish (audio)
1
a
: given to curt irritable speech
b
: arising from annoyance or irascibility
a snappish remark
2
: inclined to bite
a snappish dog
snappishly adverb
snappishness noun

Examples of snappish in a Sentence

The shoppers were snappish and rude. I always start feeling snappish whenever I get really hungry.
Recent Examples on the Web The film’s co-star, Diane Kruger, plays several roles, notably Karsh’s late wife (seen in flashback) and her snappish veterinarian-turned-dog-groomer sister. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 May 2024 Keynes is a snappish but patient listener. Maggie Lange, Washington Post, 19 Jan. 2023 But Poker Face in general has a snappish rhythm, a retro luster, a good eye for the lonely grandeur of American nowhere towns. A.a. Dowd, Chron, 25 Jan. 2023 Here the journalist is Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), a snappish, once prominent reporter whom Louis encountered half a century ago in San Francisco. Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022 Which means that Amandine is callous and unkind and Jamie is snappish and blunt to a fault. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022 His snappish behavior over leaky pens and other annoyances caught on camera in the days after his mother’s death proved to be uglier than anything on display here. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2022 Safe spaces are what all campaigns desire since, in an age when everyone is a videographer, an off-key joke or a snappish response to a voter can be plastered all over Twitter and YouTube within three minutes. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 1 Nov. 2022 DeGeneres has always straddled the line between light and dark, between antic fun and snappish charisma. Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 May 2022

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

Word History

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of snappish was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near snappish

Cite this Entry

“Snappish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snappish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

snappish

adjective
snap·​pish ˈsnap-ish How to pronounce snappish (audio)
1
: marked by snapping irritable speech : irascible
a snappish disposition
2
: apt to bite
a snappish dog
snappishly adverb
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