Synonyms of tetchy

tetchy

adjective

ˈte-chē 

as in irritable

easily offended

a morose and tetchy resident of a nursing home

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritable
• sensitive
• huffy
• touchy
• ticklish
• thin-skinned
• testy
• hypersensitive
• peevish
• snappish
• oversensitive
• irascible
• grumpy
• petulant
• grouchy
• supersensitive
• waspish
• crotchety
• stroppy
• querulous
• cantankerous
• crabby
• cranky
• pettish
• snippy
• choleric
• disagreeable
• snarky
• dyspeptic
• curmudgeonly
• ornery
• surly
• bilious
• cross
• short-tempered
• stuffy
• raspy
• tender
• prickly
• ill-tempered
• perverse
• cross-grained
• quick-tempered
• ratty
• ill-humored
• snippety
• ill-natured
• snappy
• bearish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• amiable
• agreeable
• good-natured
• unconcerned
• thick-skinned
• easygoing
• relaxed
• carefree
• good-tempered
• well-disposed
• long-suffering
• understanding
• forbearing
• obliging
• happy-go-lucky

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tetchy

Smart, capable and quick-witted, Toha’s current joy comes from her relationship with Nelly (Khadija Ahmed), the spoiled granddaughter of her employer (Hanan Youssef), a tetchy, elderly diabetic. — Alissa Simon, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026

Hallmarks of the best Halloween travel destinations usually entail a moody fall landscape, local legends that involve a tetchy ghost, vampire, or other variety of ominous being, and themed activities like pumpkin patches and cemetery tours. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025

Reynolds is a tetchy tyrant, who, enabled by his sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville), has embraced a need to have things just so as a means of warding off vulnerability. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025

England's last competitive result was a 1-0 win in Andorra back in June when Harry Kane scored the only goal in a surprisingly tetchy result for the visiting team. — Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025

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