Definition

Noun: * A proneness to anger; a quick-tempered or irritable disposition: Irascibility refers to the character trait or state of being easily provoked to anger or annoyance. It describes a person's tendency to become irritated or fly into a rage with little cause.

Usage

Irascibility is a formal noun used to describe a person's temperament or a temporary state of irritability. It focuses on the inherent quality of being short-tempered rather than a single instance of anger. * It is often used in character descriptions or psychological contexts. * It can be modified by adjectives like chronic, notorious, well-known, or sudden.

Examples

• His constant irascibility made him difficult to work with.
• The professor was known more for his irascibility than for his patience with students.
• Fatigue and stress increased her usual irascibility.
• He apologized for his irascibility, blaming it on a lack of sleep.

Advanced Usage

• "To betray one's irascibility": To reveal or show one's short-tempered nature, often unintentionally.
  • A sharp reply betrayed his underlying irascibility.
• "A fit of irascibility": A sudden, brief period of angry irritability.
  • He was prone to fits of irascibility when interrupted.

Variants and Related Words

• Irascible (adjective): Having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.
  • An irascible old man.
• Irascibly (adverb): In an easily angered manner.
  • He replied irascibly.

Synonyms

• Short temper: A tendency to become angry quickly.
• Testiness: The quality of being easily irritated or annoyed.
• Cantankerousness: The quality of being bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
• Choler (archaic/literary): Anger or irascibility.

Antonyms

• Equanimity: Calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation.
• Placidity: The state of being calm and peaceful, not easily upset.
• Patience: The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.

Idioms and Related Phrases

• "To have a short fuse": (Idiom) To be irascible; to anger very easily.
  • Be careful what you say; he has a very short fuse.
  • (This idiom is a more common, informal way to express the concept of irascibility.)

Noun

1. a feeling of resentful anger