🥒 Sour or acidic 😠 Bad-tempered

vinegary

7.6

Having a sour, unfriendly tone or manner

adjective
/ˈvaɪnɪɡəri/

: agrio

The vinegary tone of her voice made it clear she was upset with the plans.

Examples

He often replied with a vinegary attitude that put people off.
A nod and a vinegary grin.

Fiction book (1993)
I'm a salty, vinegary, briny, like obsessive.
The vinegary expression on his face showed that he disapproved of the decision.

Synonyms

sour

vsvinegary

46 3.7

Showing an unfriendly, resentful mood

is broader and can mean ill temper without strong resentful tone

crusty

vsvinegary

14 7.3

Being often rude and easily annoyed

is sour but usually less brusque and less gruff

caustic

vsvinegary

9 7.4

Being very sharp and unkind in speech or writing

is sour in disposition rather than a sharply cutting or sarcastic tone

ill-tempered

vsvinegary

4 5.7

Easily annoyed and quick to get angry

has a sour quality beyond plain annoyance

curmudgeonly

vsvinegary

3 9.5

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

is the same sour disposition but not limited by age

vinegarish

vsvinegary

9.9

A person who has a sour, unfriendly mood and speaks sharply to others

is the alternative form with identical meaning and usage

crankish

vsvinegary

8.3

Becoming easily annoyed and acting in a bad-tempered way

is sour in mood without the odd or strange behavior

growly

vsvinegary

Informal

7.1

Showing irritation and wanting to be left alone

is a lasting sour disposition not only a brief sulky expression

huffish

vsvinegary

9.9

Being bad-tempered and easily offended

is sour in tone but less about sulking or offense taking

bitterish

vsvinegary

5.1

Being slightly sharp and unpleasant in taste or feeling

is sour and ill-tempered rather than strictly harsh in character

waspy

vsvinegary

8.8

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

is sour in disposition but not focused on sharp or spiteful speech

tonguey

vsvinegary

Informal

8.9

Quick to say sharp things that hurt

is sour in manner but not specifically a biting speaking style

venomous-tongued

vsvinegary

Literature

9.4

Saying harsh, mean things that hurt people

is sour in disposition but not necessarily cutting or vindictive in speech

Antonyms

pleasant

314 1.0

Giving a gentle feeling of enjoyment

cheerful

111 1.0

Happy in a way you show with a smile or friendly actions

How Ill-Tempered

cantankerous

9 8.6

vinegary

7.6

sour

46 3.7

irritable

32 3.7

good-natured

19 2.4

Surface Forms

vinegary positive

Morphology

vinegary = vinegar (semi-transparent) = vinegar + y

The morphological formation 'vinegar' + '-y' is straightforward, even if the sense is figurative.

Etymology

Vinegary comes from vinegar, originally 'sour wine', and people began to use 'sour' for feelings as well as taste. So a vinegary person or remark is sharp, bitter, or bad-tempered.