as in irritable
easily offended
a morose and tetchy resident of a nursing home
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tetchy
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
Or the public’s general distaste for being confronted with tetchy societal issues will still prevail; doom-scrolling should be done on one’s phone at home, not out in the world among other people.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
The venerable brand has, for well over a century, been a producer of debonair, distinctly British, sport/luxury cars, known mainly for startling good looks and an attitude that is more sophisticated and less tetchy than its Italian rivals.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tetchy
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
Or the public’s general distaste for being confronted with tetchy societal issues will still prevail; doom-scrolling should be done on one’s phone at home, not out in the world among other people.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
The venerable brand has, for well over a century, been a producer of debonair, distinctly British, sport/luxury cars, known mainly for startling good looks and an attitude that is more sophisticated and less tetchy than its Italian rivals.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tetchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tetchy
Adjective
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That’s because the Moon is at odds with Mars today and everyone is irritable.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
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What are the symptoms of irritable bowel disease?—
Lindy Segal,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Auditors typically treat unattributable privileged actions as accountability gaps, because the framework expects sensitive operations to trace back to an accountable individual rather than an autonomous system.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
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In addition, some companies and governments may pair that with quantum key cryptography, particularly for highly sensitive information.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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Eleven hours into this 15-hour shift, most of the attending’s best qualities — his pragmatic approach to medicine, his encouragement of young colleagues, his ability to roll with unexpected challenges — have curdled into huffy dismissiveness and defensive blind spots.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
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For example, maybe the subject would act huffy, anticipating that the interactant was going to treat them differently.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But they are mentioned without context, in a way that underlines the Smithsonian’s touchy relationship with an administration that has not hesitated to strong-arm the institution.—
Kelsey Ables,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
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Raman, who had endorsed Bass’ reelection before throwing her hat in at the last minute, came off as inexperienced, touchy and unprepared.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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But all that interest, here, also can generate another ticklish dynamic.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
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There’s a ticklish elusiveness to the portraits of Blume’s husbands in the book, and to those of her kids, Randy and Larry, as well.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tetchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tetchy. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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