Definition

The quality of being irritable or quick to respond in a sharp manner.

Example

Her snappishness made it difficult for her friends to approach her when she was upset.

Conversation

I noticed you were a bit off at the meeting today.

Yeah, I guess I was feeling some snappishness coming on.

It happens to the best of us, especially under stress.

True, I just need to take a breather next time.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Snappishness is formed from "snappish" (from the verb "snap", meaning to make a sudden, sharp noise or to speak abruptly) and "-ness" (a suffix used to form nouns indicating a state or quality). The word describes the quality of being irritable or quick to speak sharply.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who speaks abruptly or makes a sudden noise ('snap') — the '-ness' indicates the state of being that way, so snappishness means the quality of being irritable.

Visually Confused Words