as in irritable
having or showing a habitually bad temper
the newspaper publisher's splenetic editorials often struck fear into local politicians
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Recent Examples of splenetic
And while there is enough splenetic wit and manic detail to generate obsessive fandom (entire sections of Web sites are dedicated to deciphering just what Kenny is mumbling), subjects like alien abduction, genetic engineering, and Kathie Lee are hardly original targets for satire.
—
Chris Norris, SPIN, 13 Aug. 2022
Meanwhile, the commentator and controversialist Piers Morgan, an obsessively close observer and relentless critic of Meghan, inevitably waded in with his usual splenetic views.
—Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2022
Moscow’s splenetic response to the European visit underscored Putin’s anger over Ukraine’s tightening bonds with Europe.
—Laura Kingstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2022
In Rithy Panh’s frenetic, splenetic new hybrid essay film, everything will most assuredly not be OK.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 Feb. 2022
Despite the politicians’ splenetic arguments all week, Macron’s plan passed the National Assembly by a vote of 214 to 93.
—Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2022
In the end, the IRA’s menagerie of false personas and fusillades of splenetic memes were arguably more effective at garnering sensationalistic headlines than shifting public opinion.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2020
Parlá is loose with his fields of color, but never splenetic.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2020
Kalder proposes Lenin as the originator of the modern totalitarian style in prose, adopting Marx’s splenetic polemical tone for the purposes of Communist revolution.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2019
Chris Norris, SPIN, 13 Aug. 2022
Meanwhile, the commentator and controversialist Piers Morgan, an obsessively close observer and relentless critic of Meghan, inevitably waded in with his usual splenetic views.
—Sarah Lyall, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2022
Moscow’s splenetic response to the European visit underscored Putin’s anger over Ukraine’s tightening bonds with Europe.
—Laura Kingstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2022
In Rithy Panh’s frenetic, splenetic new hybrid essay film, everything will most assuredly not be OK.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 Feb. 2022
Despite the politicians’ splenetic arguments all week, Macron’s plan passed the National Assembly by a vote of 214 to 93.
—Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2022
In the end, the IRA’s menagerie of false personas and fusillades of splenetic memes were arguably more effective at garnering sensationalistic headlines than shifting public opinion.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 May 2020
Parlá is loose with his fields of color, but never splenetic.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2020
Kalder proposes Lenin as the originator of the modern totalitarian style in prose, adopting Marx’s splenetic polemical tone for the purposes of Communist revolution.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splenetic
Adjective
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This misalignment impairs your sleep and concentration, and can leave you feeling irritable.—
Mackenzie Gamble,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2025
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Here’s one way to take your mind off a certain election that seems to have everyone tense and irritable these days — consider that Tahoe ski season is almost here.—
Randy McMullen,
The Mercury News,
31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Peter Nguyen, 54, a father of a seventh-grader at the school, said lots of angry parents spoke up at the meeting.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2025
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As a result, he’s ordered to attend an acting class, where students are instructed how to soften interactions with variously angry, frightened or confused patients.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Everyone within her radius bears the germophobe’s wrath, with the only one who can occasionally pierce through her bilious anger being her upbeat hair-stylist sister Chantal (Michelle Austin), a mother of two vibrant daughters.—
Randy Myers,
The Mercury News,
10 Jan. 2025
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The piece ran under an illustration of a black spatula dripping sinister goblets of melting plastic, against a background of bilious green.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Sometimes that means confronting disagreeable people.—
David Plazas,
The Tennessean,
24 Apr. 2024
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The most important reason to avoid obsessing over China’s disagreeable regime, however, is that this fixation threatens a core U.S. advantage: Washington’s wide network of partners and allies.—
Evan S. Medeiros,
Foreign Affairs,
8 July 2021
Adjective
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Over the years, site landowners from the same family could be cantankerous (Elmer Lindsey) or friendly and willing to be engaged (Howard and Doris Lindsey).—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American-Statesman,
22 Oct. 2024
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Trouble is, his nemesis frequently escapes Cat Jail, which annoys the cantankerous Chief (Lil Rel Howery) and the city’s mean Mayor (Cheri Oteri).—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Even perennials have varying soil needs: some prefer more acid or more alkaline soil, or prefer a wet site or a dry one.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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Fluoride also replaces minerals lost from teeth due to acid breakdown, according to the CDC. ABC News' Youri Benadjaoud and Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The offensive line, in Monken’s estimation, is the most talented and possibly most ornery unit he’s had at West Point, all the way down to wrestling each other to settle arguments about who’s tougher.—
Brian Hamilton,
The Athletic,
21 Nov. 2024
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They’re led by John Dutton III, an ornery character who nevertheless carries the kind of gravitas that only a veteran movie star like Kevin Costner can bring.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
18 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Scolding and whippings from Elizabeth and her exasperated father did nothing.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2025
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Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat representing Colorado, became exasperated when Gabbard continued to talk around a condemnation of Snowden’s actions and refused to recant past comments justifying Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.—
Brian Bennett,
TIME,
30 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near splenetic
Cite this Entry
“Splenetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splenetic. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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