short fuse
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of short fuse
First recorded in 1965–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The author is a fan of this feminist hero but acknowledges that Rankin was a family tyrant with a short fuse.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025
Former Kraken defenseman Jeremy Lauzon played with an aggressive, short fuse that way, always on high alert and ready to instantly respond to the slightest provocation.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 13, 2023
Brad Bannon, a Democratic strategist, didn’t deny that Mr. Biden showed a short fuse with the press, but he chalked it up to the stress and challenges of a tough midterm campaign entering the homestretch.
From Washington Times • Oct. 21, 2022
There is no doubt that graphic illustration of a short fuse will see Nunez's temperament tested now, but this chastening evening will surely form the basis of a vital learning experience.
From BBC • Aug. 15, 2022
Finally the short fuse of his patience burned out.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
