choleric

adjective

ˈkä-lə-rik How to pronounce choleric (audio)
Definition of cholericnext
1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed watch out for the choleric librarian at the reference desk

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in angry
feeling or showing anger I absolutely get choleric when a telemarketer calls during the dinner hour

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of choleric In recent months and days, right up though the current authoritarian auto-da-fé that’s taking apart the Constitution, Winslow has become ever more choleric in his public comments. — Fred Schruers, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026 Spiced with verbal humor, the necessary expositional scenes are expeditiously handled, reintroducing such Superman regulars as Jackie Cooper, the Daily Planet’s choleric editor, and Margot Kidder in her familiar role of Lois Lane, girl reporter. — Arthur Knight, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2025 Mask agonists tend to be both crumbly and choleric, a bad combination and ample reason to seek comfort. — Brian T. Allen, National Review, 17 Mar. 2022 He is replaced by a choleric, more professional West Indian, a lean black man with a faint, unplaceable accent. — Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper’s Magazine , 7 Dec. 2021 Both have professed deep affection for the comic-book series about a globe-trotting boy reporter, his wirehaired fox terrier, and his choleric seafaring friend. — IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for choleric
  1. irritable
  2. angry
  3. fiery
  4. indignant
  5. enraged
  6. mad
  7. furious
  8. angered
Adjective
  • Coach There’s no better feeling than walking into your last show of the day, irritable and hungry, only to discover that snacks are being served.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • If a relative or housemate seems irritable, ask what’s going on instead of working around the mood.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritable
Adjective
  • Carmella is also still mad at Vicki for saying that Danny is raising her kids, and Heather is angry after learning that Vicki called her fake in Palm Springs.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Henriette Reker, who served two terms as the mayor of Cologne, Germany, until last year, survived an assassination attempt, in 2015, by a far-right assailant angry about migration.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of angry
Adjective
  • Big emotional moments are punctuated by striking shots of fiery, mountainside sunsets and comforting, homestead greenery.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Video from the scene shows Linton’s vehicle flying into the intersection like a missile, causing a fiery multi-car collision that left burning car parts and streaks of blood as black smoke filled the sky.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiery
Adjective
  • The same people who were indignant over Hunter Biden have turned a blind eye to the conflicts of interest rife in this administration.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Online, fans and critics alike left indignant comments on Becky’s social media — dressing her down for presenting as an empowered woman, while welcoming back a penitent Lletget.
    — Suzy Exposito, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of indignant
Adjective
  • Imagine the ripe smell of swamp-wet dogs, the acrid stench of overheated, enraged bear, the slippery warm blood of pack members already lost; the simply insufferable noise and confusion in that dank little hole.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • As a consequence, Nadia’s enraged sponsors send her packing back to Europe.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of enraged
Adjective
  • To Hitchcock, the indelible feature of Roosevelt’s Presidency was his desire to protect democratic norms and processes amid crises, even as critics accused him of being a power-mad dictator or a Communist sympathizer.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The video has so many of Taylor’s favorite tropes—weddings that turn into a mess, metaphorically breaking glass, red wine spilling, mad women, chatty ghosts, symbolic houses.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of mad
Adjective
  • The shooting kicked off a blockbuster federal court case that fell apart only weeks later and led to a day of chaos in Brighton Park as federal agents deployed multiple rounds of chemical munitions against furious residents.
    — Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Martinez was said to have been furious with officials responsible for executing Pike.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of furious
Adjective
  • The bar has been sparsely attended on what would normally be busy Saturday nights as some angered customers have called for a boycott, according to The Boston Globe.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Police said the two male juveniles became angered when the other three would not take them to buy marijuana.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Definition of angered

Browse Nearby Words

choler
choleric
chomped (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Choleric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/choleric. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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