ILL-TEMPERED Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

ill-tempered

adjective

ˈil-ˈtem-pərd

Definition of ill-tempered

as in irritable

having or showing a habitually bad temper an ill-tempered cat will scratch with little provocation

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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 ill-tempered Mbappé’s penalty proved the difference in a bruising and ill-tempered match as France won 1-0 in Philadelphia on Saturday to advance to the quarterfinals. — Reuters, NBC news, 7 July 2026 Simultaneously good-humored and ill-tempered in that quintessentially French fashion, Gabrielle is indeed shouldering a crushing amount of responsibility. — Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026 Speaking with candor, Russell immediately addresses Kilmer’s reputation for being ill-tempered on set early in his career. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2025 On balance, however, Billy Wagner, an imposing 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, came off as brash and blustery, foul-mouthed and ill-tempered in witness testimony. — Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 12 Dec. 2024 If the person in charge is ill-tempered, thrives on conflict, and easily persuaded, problems are made worse. — Matthew Continetti, National Review, 27 May 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill-tempered

Adjective

Perelman said people who have weakened immune systems and those with irritable bowel disease may want to talk to their doctors before incorporating the foods into their diet.

— Devi Shastri, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
The symptoms are so delayed that people often blame them on food poisoning, irritable-bowel syndrome, gluten intolerance.

— Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Definition of irritable

Adjective

Around the world, angry locals displaced from their neighborhoods by the high cost of living are revolting against the $135 billion short-term rental industry.

— Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
In person, the range-topping Spider looks hilariously boxy up front, deliciously wedgy from the side, and surprisingly angry from the back.

— Jerry Perez, The Drive, 15 July 2026

Definition of angry

Adjective

Principle photography is underway in London, with Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum sharing his memories of contending with Winston’s cantankerous Tyrannosaurus Rex.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 June 2026
The pièce de résistance is Belle’s willingness to engage with a cantankerous lion-man who has an outrageous temper, thanks to the chip on his very large shoulder.

— Lincee Ray, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026

Definition of cantankerous

Adjective

There are also a lot of people who have never dreamed of being disagreeable in public, much less considered joining a raucous social movement.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
The disagreeable object proved no match for the most fertile person in Montana.

— Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Definition of disagreeable

Adjective

Back at the dilapidated family home, Edgar grows even surlier, lashing into gentle-natured Joe for being an under-achiever compared to his brother and causing Thya to become apprehensive about Ed’s proximity to sharp objects.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Kara Zor-El, the cynical, surly protagonist of the new Supergirl movie, has a very different attitude than her goody two-shoes cousin, Clark Kent.

— James Grebey, Time, 26 June 2026

Definition of surly

Adjective

Still, the internet nurtures these Hobbesian, splenetic views.

— Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
Meanwhile, the commentator and controversialist Piers Morgan, an obsessively close observer and relentless critic of Meghan, inevitably waded in with his usual splenetic views.

— Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2022

Definition of splenetic

Browse Nearby Words

ill-starred

ill-tempered

ill-treat

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“Ill-tempered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-tempered. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ill-tempered

adjective

Example Sentences

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