testy

adjective

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

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.
After a brief interlude of distracted play, the game got vigorous and testy. Chang-Rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026 That’s about as testy as things got. Marlow Stern, Variety, 2 May 2026 Robinson — who stepped over Daniels during a testy Game 2 exchange — and Daniels were assessed offsetting technical fouls and were both ejected. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026 The top candidates for California governor clashed over the high costs of gas, housing and homeowner’s insurance in a testy debate Tuesday evening, a fiery exchange that may finally draw voter attention as the June 2 primary election fast approaches. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Testy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testy. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

testy

adjective
tes·​ty ˈtes-tē How to pronounce testy (audio)
testier; testiest
: easily annoyed : irritable
testily adverb
testiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on testy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster