Tetchily

The adverb 'tetchily' describes a manner marked by irritability, impatience, and quick to take offense. It signifies a display of petulance, often in response to minor annoyances or perceived slights. A person acting tetchily is likely to react with sharp words, a resentful attitude, or a generally bad-tempered disposition. The behavior frequently stems from feeling stressed, frustrated, or simply out of sorts, resulting in a prickly interaction with others. The word conveys a sense of sensitivity and a tendency towards being easily upset. This behavior is also frequently accompanied by a sharp tone of voice or a displeased facial expression.

Tetchily meaning with examples

• The customer, already frazzled by a long wait, responded tetchily when the cashier asked for his ID, snapping, "Can't you see I'm in a hurry?" His short fuse was evident.
• After a sleepless night, Sarah addressed her colleagues tetchily during the morning meeting, criticizing their work with a biting tone that surprised everyone, though was ultimately understood.
• The toddler, tired and hungry, reacted tetchily to his mother's attempts to feed him, pushing the spoon away and grumbling about the food's temperature in a bad mood.
• When the traffic jam caused him to miss his appointment, the executive berated his assistant tetchily, blaming her for not warning him earlier of the congested road ahead, though ultimately his anger was misdirected.