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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 ill-tempered The game was notoriously ill-tempered, with English referee Howard Webb showing 14 yellow cards — a World Cup final record that still stands. — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 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

Skipping meals can negatively affect blood sugar levels and leave you feeling hungry, irritable, and unable to pay attention.

— Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 12 Aug. 2026
Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an irritable, cynical weatherman sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to report a story about the town’s quaint groundhog ceremony.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of irritable

Adjective

Perhaps the Giants believe pitching angry benefits Houser, too.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Occupants of a residence on the 1400 block of 104th Avenue were angry at the auto body shop for parking lots of cars outside, loud noises and excessive garbage.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of angry

Adjective

Lillard’s Portland homecoming After having spent the first 11 years of his career adored in Portland, guard Damian Lillard left the city in a cantankerous exit in 2023 for Milwaukee to give Antetokounmpo what was supposed to be a championship boost.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026
Carroll O'Connor played the cantankerous antihero Archie Bunker, legendary for firing off his grumpy, bigoted views.

— Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 12 July 2026

Definition of cantankerous

Adjective

In the show, Kyle Chandler plays Hal Jordan, an ornery Green Lantern who is begrudgingly training his upstart protégé (Aaron Pierre).

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 July 2026
Leach also would publicly call out his players and could get ornery when questioned about his team’s shortcomings.

— Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 2 June 2026

Definition of ornery

Adjective

Mistaking being disagreeable with the act of disagreeing is common - especially in unsafe psychological workplaces.

— Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
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

Definition of disagreeable

Adjective

The Jordan that the audience gets to know is a bit surly and self-centered.

— Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
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

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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ill-tempered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill-tempered. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of ill-tempered

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

expeditious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes