Synonyms of irascible

irascible

adjective

i-ˈra-sə-bəl 

as in irritable

easily irritated or annoyed

forced to endure a memorably irascible boss on her first job after college

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritable
• fiery
• peevish
• petulant
• crotchety
• snappish
• grumpy
• grouchy
• waspish
• choleric
• testy
• pettish
• crabby
• snarky
• passionate
• short-tempered
• cranky
• cross
• raspy
• snippy
• cantankerous
• quick-tempered
• out of humor
• sensitive
• out of sorts
• stuffy
• ornery
• curmudgeonly
• prickly
• perverse
• querulous
• pugnacious
• dyspeptic
• contentious
• surly
• disagreeable
• ratty
• bilious
• belligerent
• short
• combative
• snarly
• snippety
• fretful
• ill-tempered
• argumentative
• snappy
• bellicose
• quarrelsome
• truculent
• sulky
• fractious
• ill-humored
• tetchy
• sullen
• ill-natured
• disputatious
• cross-grained
• scrappy
• pouty
• huffy
• bearish
• touchy
• thin-skinned
• off-color
• hot-blooded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• affable
• gregarious
• friendly
• outgoing
• genial
• amiable
• cordial
• companionable
• sociable
• extroverted
• sweet
• good-natured
• agreeable
• easygoing
• carefree
• good-tempered
• patient
• relaxed
• well-disposed
• stoic
• tolerant
• long-suffering
• forbearing
• uncomplaining
• understanding
• obliging
• happy-go-lucky

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of irascible

As embodied by John Lithgow, Dahl is incisive, avuncular, irascible, acerbic, and always entertaining. — Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026

Rick’s bandmates, all around the same age, vary from affable to irascible; the sweetest of them is McDonald’s Sandy, who lives with his mum and seems to look up to Rick as a guy who’s surely got it together. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 May 2026

The coach of the team, Tarrant, an irascible, former Marine, allowed outsiders to come watch practice. — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 11 May 2026

Their first conversation is comically lopsided, and McKellen, purring his way through what is effectively a monologue, lays the groundwork for his most vividly inhabited and hilariously irascible performance in years. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

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