pettishness

Easily provoked moodiness

Pettishness is the quality of being irritable or sulky over minor matters—a childish touchiness that flares at small provocations.

It suggests someone prone to brief, unreasonable fits of bad temper: His pettishness made him difficult to work with.

The word carries a note of dismissiveness, implying the irritation is unwarranted.

childishness

whiny

Inclined to complain

babyish · spoiled · demanding · fretfulness · complaining · peevishness · unreasonable · difficult · contrary · uncooperative

irritability

peevish

Habitually fretful

  • testyShort-tempered, easily provoked
  • snappishShort-tempered, biting
  • crankyIll-tempered and peevish

grumpy · touchy · fractious · querulous · irascible · tetchy · fretful · grouchy · cross · crotchety

sulkiness

pouty

Sullen in expression

  • sulkyMoody and silently resentful
  • sullenSilently bad-tempered
  • broodingAnxiously dwelling on something

moody · morose · huffy · glum · dour · resentful · poutiness · withdrawn · disgruntled · sour

Opposites
temperamental equanimity

pettishnessequanimity

Unshakable mental steadiness

patience · serenity · composure · imperturbability · tranquility

social agreeableness

pettishnessgood nature

Kindly, agreeable temperament

affability · amiability · geniality · agreeableness · cordiality

emotional maturity

pettishnessforbearance

Patient self-control, delayed enforcement

tolerance · understanding · magnanimity · broad-mindedness · graciousness

Family

petty, petulant, petulance, pettiest, pettier, pettish, pettishly

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G