as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
shop customers learned not to bother the short-tempered dog on their way out
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Recent Examples of short-tempered
People who know Magyar have praised his discipline but have also described him as impatient, short-tempered, and sometimes abrasive.
—
Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
The senior attending physician’s behavior has worried many in the hospital as he's appeared more nihilistic and short-tempered than usual.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
While searching, James tells Siegfried he’s been erratic, short-tempered, and forgetful.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Slick, short-tempered and charismatically dangerous, Michael's DeVito is a bomb about to explode.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Expressing aggression recharges an angry and short-tempered internal battery that transfers into other parts of the adults’ lives.
—Christina Erickson, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
Noticing how these patterns affect your personal life—say, leading to venting or being short-tempered at home—provides valuable insights into your reactions at work.
—Liz Kislik, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Doherty, then 19, became a superstar in the early ’90s playing the straitlaced but short-tempered Brenda Walsh as the show became a guilty pleasure for a generation.
—Ethan Sacks, NBC News, 14 July 2024
Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
The senior attending physician’s behavior has worried many in the hospital as he's appeared more nihilistic and short-tempered than usual.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
While searching, James tells Siegfried he’s been erratic, short-tempered, and forgetful.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Slick, short-tempered and charismatically dangerous, Michael's DeVito is a bomb about to explode.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Expressing aggression recharges an angry and short-tempered internal battery that transfers into other parts of the adults’ lives.
—Christina Erickson, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
Noticing how these patterns affect your personal life—say, leading to venting or being short-tempered at home—provides valuable insights into your reactions at work.
—Liz Kislik, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Doherty, then 19, became a superstar in the early ’90s playing the straitlaced but short-tempered Brenda Walsh as the show became a guilty pleasure for a generation.
—Ethan Sacks, NBC News, 14 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short-tempered
irritable
Adjective
-
Even Adam’s irritable female boss, Suzie (Sasheer Zamata), hides under a people-pleasing mask.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
That’s because the Moon is at odds with Mars today and everyone is irritable.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Short-tempered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short-tempered. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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