as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
that coworker would be easier to get along with if she weren't so testy all the time
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Recent Examples of testy
Tearful at times and testy at others, Denver developer Brian Watson defended his actions and those of his company Tuesday, five years after both became surrounded by scandal.
—
Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 28 Jan. 2026
With Ted gone, the future of AFC Richmond is in the hands of new manager Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), who has evolved from a testy former player to a respected coach.
—Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
The Sharks were looking for a better result against Tampa Bay after they were hammered by the Lightning in a testy affair earlier this month at SAP Center.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
The exchanges, at a debate sponsored by the Republican Club of Van Zandt County, marked an increasingly testy fight ahead of the March 3 GOP primary to fill the seat left open after Paxton decided to run for the Senate.
—From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for testy
Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 28 Jan. 2026
With Ted gone, the future of AFC Richmond is in the hands of new manager Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), who has evolved from a testy former player to a respected coach.
—Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
The Sharks were looking for a better result against Tampa Bay after they were hammered by the Lightning in a testy affair earlier this month at SAP Center.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
The exchanges, at a debate sponsored by the Republican Club of Van Zandt County, marked an increasingly testy fight ahead of the March 3 GOP primary to fill the seat left open after Paxton decided to run for the Senate.
—From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for testy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for testy
Adjective
-
Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems, including feeling more irritable.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
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On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The fiery meeting at the South Shore Cultural Center began with local Ald.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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House Democrats clashed with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday during a fiery hearing on Capitol Hill that devolved into shouting matches and throwing sharp elbows.—
Fritz Farrow,
ABC News,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Testy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/testy. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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