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prickish

prickish

1 8.9
Being rude and getting upset by small things
  • adjective
  • /ˈprɪkɪʃ/
  • Offensive
translation icon : irritable
  • Until then, Bueller, Craig James would like to remind you in the most prickish way possible that you are not "in on this thread" until you've made an honest-to-god attempt at a Craig James joke.

Examples

  • His prickish remarks during the meeting made everyone feel uncomfortable.

  • Those emails sounded as prickish as you are.

  • 90% of my prison is black, so you just feel safer and less prickish if you have black COs.

    Blog text (30)
  • I know, me, I know deep down, beneath that prickish behavior of yours, you're just a guy who needs love.

  • I don't perceive any satirical value in an arrogant, prickish employer mocking his subordinate, especially when the subordinate is in some type of emotional distress.

    Blog text (9)
  • She became prickish when her ideas were not taken seriously by her colleagues.

  • After several interruptions, his prickish attitude was evident when he snapped at the speaker.

Synonyms

ornery
vsprickish
  • Informal
22 8.5

Being bad-tempered and stubborn, often hard to deal with

is more about rudeness and mean attitude rather than stubbornness
abrasive
vsprickish
18 6.5

Showing little concern for other people's feelings

is more about quick offence taking and personal meanness
prickly
vsprickish
13 5.7

Quick to get angry or upset by small things

adds rudeness and mean attitude beyond quick irritation
douchey
vsprickish
  • Offensive
11 9.7

Being rude and acting like you are better than other people

is less about arrogance and more about quick offence taking
cantankerous
vsprickish
9 8.6

Gets angry easily and often argues with people

is broader, covering long term disagreeable behaviour not just quick offence
snot-nosed
vsprickish
  • Offensive
7 9.6

Having a rude, arrogant attitude often used to describe a child

is focused on sensitivity and quick offense rather than childish rudeness
dickish
vsprickish
  • Offensive
4 9.9

Rude and unkind in a way that annoys other people

adds being quick to take offense and feel hurt
curmudgeonly
vsprickish
3 9.5

Often bad-tempered and easily annoyed, like a grumpy older person

is less age specific and more about quick offense and meanness
snappish
vsprickish
2 7.2

Speaking in a short, angry way because you are annoyed

is ruder and meaner in attitude beyond curt speech
scratchy
vsprickish
1 5.6

Quick to become annoyed or upset

also covers rude or mean reactions beyond mere annoyance
chippy
vsprickish
  • UK
1 9.1

Being easily annoyed and quick to feel offended

is ruder and mean in attitude as well as defensive
waspish
vsprickish
1 8.1

Easily annoyed and quick to speak sharply

is more generally rude and mean as well as quick to offend
snorty
vsprickish
  • UK
1 9.7

Feeling annoyed and in a bad mood

expresses rudeness and meanness more than simple annoyance
narky
vsprickish
  • UK
1 9.9

Having a sharp, unfriendly tone that criticizes others

is more openly rude and mean rather than only critical
jerkish
vsprickish
  • Offensive
1 8.5

Being rude and mean to other people

also involves quick irritation and easy offense taking
bristly
vsprickish
6.4

Quick to get annoyed and show irritation

is more about rude, mean behaviour as well as irritation
sharpish
vsprickish
  • UK
7.4

A little rude and short in the way someone speaks

is harsher, adding rudeness and quick offence taking
waspy
vsprickish
8.8

Quick to speak in a rude or angry way that hurts others

adds blunt rudeness and mean behaviour beyond irritability
chippie
vsprickish
  • UK
9.9

Easily offended and quick to feel hurt by small comments or jokes

includes rude or mean conduct beyond mere defensiveness
huffish
vsprickish
9.9

Being bad-tempered and easily offended

adds active rudeness and mean behaviour to moodiness
crankish
vsprickish
8.3

Becoming easily annoyed and acting in a bad-tempered way

is more actively rude or mean beyond eccentric bad temper
a bit scorpy
vsprickish
  • Informal
9.9

Being a little angry and easily annoyed with people

is ruder and meaner beyond slight aggressiveness

Antonyms

89 1.0

Friendly and polite in a way that makes others feel good

17 3.3

Ready to say yes to an idea or request

How Irritable

hostile
194 4.6
prickish
  • Offensive
1 8.9
irritable
32 3.7
annoyed
77 1.0

Surface Forms

prickish positive

Morphology

prickish = prick (semi-transparent) = prick + ish

Derived from 'prick' + '-ish' but the sense 'easily offended' is a figurative extension (quick to take offence) rather than the literal 'having points'.

Etymology

Prickish comes from prick, which means 'a small sharp point' or 'to poke'. A helpful way to remember this sense is to think of someone who 'pricks' others with sharp words, so a prickish person is quick to be rude or to take offense.