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
Lily, as played by Sophia Hammons, has a distinctive snappish downbeat British-princess personality; some of it is her accent, some of it her entitled ‘tude.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
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
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snappish
irritable
Adjective
-
SSRIs are linked to a condition called neonatal adaption syndrome, in which infants are born jittery, irritable and with abnormal muscle tone.—
Andrew Novick,
The Conversation,
31 July 2025
-
Frequently, kids who suppress emotions at school come home irritable in a low-key fashion at home.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Snappish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snappish. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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