testy

[tes-tee]

adjective

testier, testiest 

1. irritably impatient; touchy.

   Synonyms: irascible, cross, snappish, edgy, tetchy
   Antonyms: composed

testy

/ ˈtɛstɪ /

adjective

1. irritable or touchy

Other Word Forms

• testily adverb
• testiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of testy¹

First recorded in 1325–75; late Middle English testi, alteration of Middle French testu “headstrong”; replacing Middle English testif, from Middle French. See test ², -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of testy¹

C14: from Anglo-Norman testif headstrong, from Old French teste head, from Late Latin testa skull, from Latin: shell

Synonym Study

See irritable.

Example Sentences

In a testy exchange, Halligan said the full grand jury hadn’t seen a substitute indictment of Comey that was prepared after the group declined one of the false statement charges she had presented.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Doja is known for having a testy relationship with both social media and her fans.

Read more on BBC

The hearing grew testy at times, with Seabright demanding that Assistant U.S.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Crowding has become a testy issue around Vermont, where small towns have taken aim at intrusive leaf-peeping visitors by shutting down scenic roads and ramping up parking enforcement—even towing vehicles.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The rhetoric might get testy, but the two nations know there’s a lot more to lose by going it alone.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• annoyed 
• cantankerous 
• cranky 
• edgy 
• exasperated 
• grumpy 
• impatient 
• quarrelsome 
• sullen 
• uptight