as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
I always start feeling snappish whenever I get really hungry
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Recent Examples of snappish
Harriette Cole: My twins are getting snappish over college acceptance
Asking Eric: A cemetery guard ruined my father’s funeral, and that was just the start
This includes stating your belief that your explanations may not be believed.
—
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 7 May 2025
Named Lija, the wary but winsome mutt — in fact played by the filmmaker’s own pet — is snappish and defensive when her wounds are first treated, only to slowly relent and relax in the face of genuine tenderness.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 Feb. 2025
The film’s co-star, Diane Kruger, plays several roles, notably Karsh’s late wife (seen in flashback) and her snappish veterinarian-turned-dog-groomer sister.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 May 2024
Keynes is a snappish but patient listener.
—Maggie Lange, Washington Post, 19 Jan. 2023
But Poker Face in general has a snappish rhythm, a retro luster, a good eye for the lonely grandeur of American nowhere towns.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 25 Jan. 2023
Here the journalist is Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), a snappish, once prominent reporter whom Louis encountered half a century ago in San Francisco.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022
Which means that Amandine is callous and unkind and Jamie is snappish and blunt to a fault.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022
His snappish behavior over leaky pens and other annoyances caught on camera in the days after his mother’s death proved to be uglier than anything on display here.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2022
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 7 May 2025
Named Lija, the wary but winsome mutt — in fact played by the filmmaker’s own pet — is snappish and defensive when her wounds are first treated, only to slowly relent and relax in the face of genuine tenderness.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 6 Feb. 2025
The film’s co-star, Diane Kruger, plays several roles, notably Karsh’s late wife (seen in flashback) and her snappish veterinarian-turned-dog-groomer sister.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 May 2024
Keynes is a snappish but patient listener.
—Maggie Lange, Washington Post, 19 Jan. 2023
But Poker Face in general has a snappish rhythm, a retro luster, a good eye for the lonely grandeur of American nowhere towns.
—A.a. Dowd, Chron, 25 Jan. 2023
Here the journalist is Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), a snappish, once prominent reporter whom Louis encountered half a century ago in San Francisco.
—Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2022
Which means that Amandine is callous and unkind and Jamie is snappish and blunt to a fault.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022
His snappish behavior over leaky pens and other annoyances caught on camera in the days after his mother’s death proved to be uglier than anything on display here.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snappish
irritable
Adjective
-
But a new wrench is thrown into the works in the form of an irritable downstairs neighbor.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
27 June 2025
-
When a muscle is injured or put under extra stress, myofascial trigger points—basically, irritable spots in the muscle—can form and cause pain.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Snappish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snappish. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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