irascible

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "irascible" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective that means "easily made angry or irritable." You can use it to describe someone's temperament or behavior. For example, "My grandmother can be quite irascible when she doesn't get her way."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The chances that his irritation over Mr Turner's big-category exclusion may trigger some irascible words on the podium are pretty high.

The Guardian - Film

Young voters also form much of the support base of Janusz Korwin-Mikke, an irascible monarchist and anti-feminist kook whose Congress of the New Right party took 7% of the vote in the 2014 European elections, enough to win four seats.

The Economist

Premature though it may be to write Apple off again, the irascible Mr Jobs may have to find some new tricks.

The Economist

Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the Senate's loveably irascible socialist, might take the opportunity to speak truth to weary beat reporters.

The Economist

The notoriously irascible artist was so impressed by the young Italian's tenacity that he allowed him to buy two, and a lasting relationship was born.Mr Bilotti moved to New York in the 1960s and married the heiress to the Old Spice fragrance fortune.

The Economist

SINCE December's bungled currency controls and January's muddle-headed changes to the law on foreign business ownership, it has seemed only a matter of time before Pridiyathorn Devakula, Thailand's irascible finance minister and deputy prime minister, either resigned or was sacked.

The Economist

He wrote in an autobiographical essay, "When an irascible elderly senator demanded, 'What do you know about plutonium?' I gave a vague but reassuring answer.

The Economist

As even the irascible Mr Gargash may learn, Pakistan has a knack for getting away with angering friend and foe alike.

The Economist

Holding the exercises in a psychiatric hospital would be more appropriate than holding them on the territory of the Georgian state, thundered Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's irascible NATO ambassador.In fact NATO's small exercises were held under its Partnership for Peace programme and planned before last August's war in Georgia.

The Economist

The reader quickly gets under the skin of this idiosyncratic, humorous loner "with an irascible temper and flat English feet"—a man for whom duty was paramount and a standard life not an option: "I wanted something out of the ordinary, something that had no right to work, something ridiculous or downright dangerous".

The Economist

AFTER 15 years at the helm, China's ebullient and irascible leader, Jiang Zemin, has completed the handover of power to a younger generation.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "irascible" to describe someone who is easily provoked to anger, but consider the context to avoid sounding overly formal or archaic.

Common error

Don't use "irascible" for minor annoyances or temporary frustration. It suggests a deep-seated tendency to anger, not just a passing mood.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "irascible" functions to describe a noun, typically a person, by indicating their tendency to be easily provoked to anger. Ludwig examples show it describing individuals like "Mr. Jobs" or "Mr. Bemba" characterizing their disposition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "irascible" is a grammatically correct and frequently used adjective that means easily provoked to anger. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate to describe someone with a hot-tempered nature. While the word is generally neutral in register, it appears mostly in news and media contexts. Remember to reserve "irascible" for individuals with a deep-seated tendency to anger, rather than temporary frustration, and consider less formal synonyms like "cranky" or "testy" for less formal situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

short-tempered

Highlights the quickness with which someone's temper flares, a common synonym.

quick-tempered

Similar to short-tempered, emphasizing the speed of anger arousal.

irritable

Focuses on the state of being easily annoyed, which can lead to anger.

bad-tempered

A general term for having a consistently unpleasant disposition.

testy

Suggests impatience and a tendency to snap at others.

easily angered

Focuses on the ease with which someone becomes angry, removing the implication of irritability.

choleric

Implies a more historical and somewhat formal term for an easily angered temperament, related to the old concept of humors.

cantankerous

Implies a stubborn and argumentative disposition.

cranky

Informal and suggests a bad mood, often without serious anger.

grouchy

Similar to cranky, indicating a grumbling and sullen mood.

FAQs

How can I use "irascible" in a sentence?

You can use "irascible" to describe someone's personality or behavior, such as: "The "irascible old man" yelled at the neighborhood kids" or "His "irascible temperament" made him difficult to work with".

What's the difference between "irascible" and "irritable"?

"Irascible" implies a proneness to outbursts of anger, while "irritable" suggests a state of being easily annoyed or frustrated. Someone irritable may not necessarily become angry, but someone "irascible" is likely to.

Are there synonyms for "irascible" that are less formal?

Yes, less formal synonyms for "irascible" include "cranky", "grouchy", and "testy". These words often imply a milder or more temporary state of bad temper.

Is it appropriate to describe someone as "irascible" in a professional setting?

Describing someone as "irascible" can be seen as negative and judgmental in a professional context. It's generally better to use more neutral language to describe their behavior, such as "easily frustrated" or "quick to react".