irritability

noun

ˌir-ə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce irritability (audio)
Definition of irritabilitynext
as in irritableness
readiness to show annoyance or impatience the librarian's well-known irritability makes students hesitant to ask questions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irritability Some people also report low mood, irritability, or even depressed states. — Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 14 Aug. 2026 Showing distress or irritability when chatbot access is limited. — Megan Kelly, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026 Chronic irritability is another factor, sometimes tied to disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Hunger can amplify low moods, irritability and worry, which is not what any nervous child needs before walking into a new classroom. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irritability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irritability
  1. aggression
  2. aggressiveness
  3. anger
  4. crankiness
  5. sensitivity
  6. grouchiness
  7. petulance
  8. hostility
Noun
  • On the contrary, airpower remains the most potent piece of the United States’ conventional forces, as well as its main source of both deterrent capacity and warfighting advantage against conventional aggression by hostile states.
    — Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Publicly sharing Hasan’s death is unlikely to deter future acts of monstrous aggression, as Hegseth claims.
    — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggression
Noun
  • Furthermore, CNNs are exceeding in disease detection and predicting disease aggressiveness and patient prognosis.
    — Esha Desai, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
  • So will the aggressiveness of the defender after giving up a rebound.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggressiveness
Noun
  • We are connected across continents in milliseconds, but too often separated by fear, anger, and mistrust.
    — Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For property owners who poured their life savings into Camelot, the arrival of heavy machinery brings mounting anger over how local authorities handled the complex's long, troubled decline.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of anger
Noun
  • Common warning signs include thirst, tiredness and crankiness.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026
  • How to handle it A lot of Virgo’s crankiness can be soothed with helping them get organized and practice self-compassion.
    — Maressa Brown, Parents, 18 June 2026
Definition of crankiness
Noun
  • The researchers conducted the tests from September 8 to 11, using different sensor configurations to assess the system’s sensitivity.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Howard called additionally for a public apology from UMD's tennis club, sensitivity training for players and a donation of tournament funds to a local museum focused on African American history.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensitivity
Noun
  • Vince Gilligan moved to Apple and returned to his X-Files roots for the sci-fi horror dramatic comedy Pluribus, which used its ultra-mysterious and yet ultra-familiar genre trappings for a droll meditation on the eternal clash between collective joy and individual grouchiness.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
  • Emily is also struggling with Annabelle, who has inherited her mom’s attitude and the grouchiness of any adolescent forced to grow up with an Evolution Media camera crew in her home.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Definition of grouchiness
Noun
  • The racket clanged off the metal bar and didn’t injure any fans, but the crowd audibly gasped at Atmane’s petulance, as the racket didn’t miss them by much.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Even Wilfried Zaha, with all his on-pitch petulance, never allowed standards to slip.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of petulance
Noun
  • When a quarrel over an inheritance revives old hostilities, their relationship comes under pressure from greed and treachery in a conflict not of their making.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Grynkewich's remarks had followed a tense weekend between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow launching fresh strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure despite diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of hostility

Browse Nearby Words

irrigating
irritability
irritable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irritability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irritability. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on irritability

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about irritability

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All