irritable
/'iritəbl/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Easily annoyed or angered: Describes a person who becomes upset, impatient, or angry with little provocation.
- Abnormally sensitive to stimulation: Describes a part of the body or a physiological condition that reacts excessively or painfully to normal stimuli.
- Capable of responding to stimuli: A biological term describing living tissue that can react to external influences.
Usage and Examples
- Describing a person's mood or temperament:
- After missing his morning coffee, he became very irritable.
- Lack of sleep can make anyone feel irritable.
- Describing a physical condition:
- The patient has an irritable bowel, which is aggravated by certain foods.
- The skin around the wound was red and irritable.
- Biological context:
- Nerve cells are highly irritable tissues.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- "Irritable mood": A temporary state of being easily annoyed.
- She apologized for her irritable mood, blaming it on stress.
- Medical/Scientific Terminology: Often used in terms like "irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)" or "irritable bladder," where an organ is functionally oversensitive.
Variants and Related Words
- Irritability (n): The quality or state of being irritable.
- His constant irritability was a sign of underlying anxiety.
- Irritably (adv): In an irritable manner.
- "Not now," she said irritably.
Synonyms
- Testy: Easily annoyed; bad-tempered.
- Cantankerous: Bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
- Peevish: Easily irritated, especially by unimportant things.
- Tetchy: Irritable and touchy.
- Fractious (as in the reference): Irritable and quarrelsome.
Antonyms
- Easygoing: Relaxed and tolerant in attitude or manner.
- Placid: Not easily upset or excited.
- Good-natured: Kind, patient, and tolerant.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To have an irritable disposition: To have a personality that is naturally prone to becoming easily annoyed.
- He has an irritable disposition, so choose your words carefully.
- Irritated vs. Irritable: Note the distinction. "Irritated" describes a temporary state of being annoyed. "Irritable" describes a lasting tendency or condition to become irritated easily.
- She was irritated by the noise. (A single event)
- He is an irritable person. (A character trait)
Adjective
-
capable of responding to stimuli
-
abnormally sensitive to a stimulus
-
easily irritated or annoyed
-
an incorrigibly fractious young man
-
not the least nettlesome of his countrymen
-
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