tetchy
Quick to snap
Tetchy means irritable or easily annoyed, quick to take offense at small things: He gets tetchy when he's tired.
The word suggests a prickly disposition rather than genuine anger—someone tetchy snaps over minor frustrations.
More common in British than American English, where touchy or cranky might be preferred.
Ill-tempered and peevish
- grumpyIrritable in temperament
- peevishHabitually fretful
- petulantChildishly bad-tempered
- cantankerousBad-tempered and argumentative
grouchy · snappish · querulous · fretful · cross · crotchety · fractious · irascible
Easily affected emotionally
- thin-skinnedEasily hurt by remarks
- pricklySpiny or irritable
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- hypersensitiveExcessively reactive to stimuli
overreactive · temperamental · volatile · reactive · brittle · edgy · huffy · snippy
cranky
Ill-tempered and peevish
cantankerous · grouchy · snappish · querulous · fretful · cross · crotchety · fractious · irascible · crabby
sensitive
Easily affected emotionally
- thin-skinnedEasily hurt by remarks
- pricklySpiny or irritable
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
hypersensitive · overreactive · temperamental · volatile · reactive · brittle · edgy · huffy · snippy · miffed
morose
Sullenly ill-humored
glum · dour · churlish · surly · brooding · pouting · withdrawn · sour · resentful · gloomy
tetchyeasygoing
Relaxed in temperament
good-natured · even-tempered · good-tempered · patient · good-humoured