testy

adjective

tes·​ty ˈte-stē How to pronounce testy (audio)
testier; testiest
Synonyms of testy
1
: easily annoyed : irritable
2
: marked by impatience or ill humor
testy remarks
testily
ˈte-stə-lē How to pronounce testy (audio)
adverb
testiness
ˈte-stē-nəs How to pronounce testy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of testy

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Examples of testy in a Sentence

that coworker would be easier to get along with if she weren't so testy all the time
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The exchange quickly got testy, with Mack appearing to misremember or disagree with most of Reddington's questions. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026 Things have been testy between the offense and defense in Browns camp, and by now the Cleveland defense has seen just about everything the offense wants to run regardless of who’s under center. — Zac Jackson, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Before things got testy Wednesday night, Messi delivered a few memorable moments. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, your personal life looks a little testy this month. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for testy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English testif, from Anglo-French, headstrong, from teste head — more at tester entry 2

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of testy was in 1523

Rhymes for testy

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Browse Nearby Words

testudo
testy
Tesuque
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Cite this Entry

“Testy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testy. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

testy

adjective
tes·​ty ˈtes-tē How to pronounce testy (audio)
testier; testiest
: easily annoyed : irritable
testily
-tə-lē How to pronounce testy (audio)
adverb
testiness
-tē-nəs How to pronounce testy (audio)
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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