as in irritable
easily offended
a morose and tetchy resident of a nursing home
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Recent Examples of tetchy
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.
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Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 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
Britain has since struck a trade deal with the U.S., however, becoming the first country to do so as tetchy trade talks continue for other trading partners, including the European Union which is still waiting to sign a trade agreement with Washington.
—Jenni Reid,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 11 July 2025
One is her ex, the struggling, somewhat tetchy actor/caterer John, played by Chris Evans.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tetchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tetchy
Adjective
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Some of the consequences of owing your body sleep are readily apparent, like feeling drowsy, irritable, or brain-foggy, or catching seemingly every virus.—
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Accompanying Rayner through these daily adventures were the irritable duck Chelveston (named after his English bomber base) and the gentle dog puppet Cuddly Dudley.—
Adjective
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The commission said the report overlooks other time-sensitive cases that don't require intake appointments.—
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Cold conditions may damage or kill sensitive crops, plants, and vegetation if appropriate precautions are not taken.—
Adjective
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Sam Altman got huffy when a friendly tech investor asked him an obvious question — how OpenAI would pay for the $1.4 trillion in spending commitments it’s made.—
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The first, rather vacuous season hinges in part on whether the Russells’ neighbor—the huffy, old-money Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski)—will ever cross Sixty-first Street to visit.—
Adjective
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And, finally, international financial imbalances are growing, contributing to today’s touchy trade and political environment.—
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However, things go in a different direction almost instantly when Kody brings up a touchy topic.—
Adjective
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However, Apollo economist Torsten Slok said policymakers are in a ticklish spot now with inflation still above target and the soft jobs picture, putting the central bank’s dual goals of stable prices and full employment in conflict.—
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It’s certainly made for these (end) times: a lushly surreal, cynically ticklish goof on the ineffectiveness of political summits as apocalyptic dread mounts.—
Cite this Entry
“Tetchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tetchy. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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