irritable

/ˈɪrɪtəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪrɪtəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈir-ə-tə-bəl/ (ame, mw)

irritable — adjective

  • irritablepositive
  • more irritablecomparative
  • most irritablesuperlative

1. getting angry, annoyed, or upset very easily over small things, often because yo

1.形容詞B1
釋義

getting angry, annoyed, or upset very easily over small things, often because you are tired, stressed, or not feeling well.

例句

The doctor told Jiwoo that poor sleep was making her irritable during the day.

irritable + [situation/cause] + during the day

Tuan gets irritable about traffic jams even when he has plenty of time.

irritable + about [something]

同義詞
  • grumpy

    more informal, suggests a sulky or grouchy mood rather than upset

  • testy

    suggests sharp, impatient annoyance, especially in speech

  • cranky

    informal, often used for children or when tired

  • touchy

    focuses on being oversensitive to criticism or particular topics

反義詞
  • calm

    relaxed and not easily upset

  • easygoing

    describes a person who rarely gets annoyed

文法句型

irritable + about/at/over [something]

irritable + with [someone]

用法筆記

Used for a temporary emotional state rather than a permanent personality trait. A person who is irritable today may be calm tomorrow. Frequently used with at (for the trigger), with (for the person affected), or about (for the topic).

常見錯誤

❌My boss was irritable to the delay.
✅My boss was irritable about the delay.
💡use about for the cause, not to.
❌She is an irritable person this week because of stress.
✅She has been irritable this week because of stress.
💡irritable typically describes a state, not a fixed character label.

2. of a body part, tissue, or biological system — reacting more strongly than norma

2.形容詞C1
釋義

of a body part, tissue, or biological system — reacting more strongly than normal to light, heat, pressure, or other physical stimulus, often because of illness, injury, or inflammation.

例句

After the burn healed, Kian's skin remained irritable to direct sunlight for several months.

irritable + to [physical stimulus]

The patient's irritable bowel syndrome causes pain whenever she eats spicy food.

collocation: irritable bowel (common medical term)

同義詞
  • sensitive

    broader, less technical; can describe both emotional and physical reactions

  • reactive

    focuses on the response itself; common in allergy and dermatology contexts

反義詞
  • insensitive

    not responding to stimuli

  • numb

    having no physical feeling or sensation

文法句型

irritable + to [stimulus]

irritable [body part / tissue]

用法筆記

In medical contexts, irritable describes a physiological overreaction, not a person's mood. Distinguish from sense 1: a patient can be irritable (easily annoyed, sense 1) because their irritable colon (sense 2) is causing discomfort.

常見錯誤

❌After the sunburn, his skin was irritable about the heat.
✅After the sunburn, his skin was irritable to the heat.
💡with physical stimuli, use to, not about.
❌She has an irritable knee which makes her angry.
✅She has an irritable knee from the old injury.
💡in the medical sense, irritable describes the body part's sensitivity, not the person's emotion.