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

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

Rowland Has Made Lifestyle Changes To Manage Eczema After getting testy in a good way, Rowland made some lifestyle changes. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026

Clad in a Canadian tuxedo and brimming with enthusiasm and a competitive spirit that often verged on the combative, Ed Gamble clearly came into Taskmaster wanting to win, and his sheer desire to do well produced some of the show’s most enduring moments of testy hilarity. — Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 12 June 2026

New York has been testy about the officiating all night, except the Knicks are entering halftime with a 23-6 advantage in free throws. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 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