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testiness

testiness

1 7.3
A feeling of being easily annoyed and quick to lose patience
  • noun
  • /ˈtɛstɪnəs/
translation icon : irritabilidad
  • With it all, a cantor's moodiness and the congregational leadership's testiness could also break the solemn, formal mood all were ostensibly trying to create.

Examples

  • "You'll have to forgive Ghiri's testiness," Oswald added.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • For the first time, Leo displays some testiness: LEO

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Nor would it touch upon his occasional testiness.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • We need to stop joking about our testiness or emotional stability.

    Blog text (22)
  • This testiness was coming out of an otherwise happy, innocent-looking woman reminiscent of Dale Evans.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • They have had to endure a lot, and their testiness is understandable if they perceive anyone to be depriving him of credit for his much-delayed major win.

    Blog text (28)
  • His testiness was evident when he snapped at his colleague over a minor mistake.

  • The teacher's testiness grew as the students continued to chatter during the lesson.

  • After a long day, her testiness made it clear that she needed some time to unwind.

Synonyms

annoyance
vstestiness
26 2.8

The feeling you have when something bothers you

is a lasting trait rather than a brief feeling or act
irritability
vstestiness
8 4.2

Being easily annoyed or quick to become angry

is milder and focuses on quick annoyance rather than strong anger
crankiness
vstestiness
3 6.0

Being easily annoyed and acting in odd, fussy ways

is only the quick annoyance quality without the odd or fussy behaviour
grumpiness
vstestiness
3 4.1

A feeling of being easily annoyed

is general annoyance without the surly or bad tempered way
grouchiness
vstestiness
1 4.0

A state of being easily annoyed and in a bad mood

is more transient irritation rather than ongoing bad mood
touchiness
vstestiness
1 7.2

A tendency to be easily upset by small remarks or criticism

is general being easily annoyed rather than a reaction to criticism
tetchiness
vstestiness
  • UK
9.2

A tendency to become easily annoyed and show anger

is the same meaning presented with a different word form
fretfulness
vstestiness
7.7

A feeling of being nervous, annoyed, or easily upset

is plain annoyance rather than anxious unease or frequent upset

Antonyms

48 4.4

A calm, peaceful feeling without worry

9 2.7

A state without strong feelings or worry in your mind

How Irritable

anger
957 1.0
testiness
1 7.3
annoyance
26 2.8
patience
511 1.3
calmness
9 2.7

Surface Forms

testiness singular
testinesses plural

Morphology

testiness = testy (transparent) = testy + ness

Formed by the adjective 'testy' plus the nominalizing suffix '-ness', so the noun directly denotes the quality of being testy.

Etymology

The word testiness comes from the describing word testy, which means 'easily annoyed', plus the ending -ness, which turns a word into the name of a state, like happiness. So testiness is the state of being 'easily annoyed', the quick irritation you feel when small things bother you.