What does irritability mean?
Irritability is the quality of being easily annoyed, angry, or upset, often in response to small problems, discomfort, or stress. It can describe a person's general temperament, as in a description of a child's persistent irritability, or a temporary condition caused by tiredness, hunger, pain, or anxiety. The word is commonly used in both everyday and medical contexts, but medical usage often emphasizes nervous tension and physical sensitivity as well as emotional reactivity. Irritability is related to annoyance and impatience, though it can be more sustained and intense. The related adjective is irritable, meaning easily annoyed or prone to anger, while irritation can name either the momentary feeling of being bothered or a condition that produces discomfort. The term is useful because it captures not simply a single angry reaction but a recurring pattern of emotional and physical response to provocation.
nounThe quality of being easily annoyed or irritated, especially in response to minor provocation. It can also refer to a state of nervous tension or sensitivity that makes someone prone to irritation.
- The tendency or quality of being easily annoyed, angry, or irritated.
- A state of nervous tension or physical sensitivity associated with irritation, especially in medical or biological contexts.
"Her irritability disappeared once she learned that the delay had been unavoidable."
"A lack of sleep can increase irritability and make minor problems seem more serious."
"The report noted irritability and restlessness as possible effects of the medication."
Usually uncountable in ordinary use; the plural is uncommon and more likely in technical or classificatory contexts.
"The study compared several forms of irritability in young children."
Irritability is the trait that turns a small annoyance into a large reaction.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does irritability come from?
The word comes ultimately from Latin irritare, meaning “to provoke” or “excite,” with the sense developing toward “annoy” or “irritate.” English borrowed related forms through French, and the abstract noun irritability developed from the established family of words based on irritate. Its cognates include irritant, irritation, and irritably, all sharing the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How irritability is actually used
In everyday use, irritability usually describes a person's temper or response to provocation. In medical contexts, it may refer more specifically to an unpleasant physical or emotional state involving nervous tension and a tendency to become upset.
Easily confused with irritability
Irritability is a persistent disposition to become annoyed or easily upset, whereas irritation usually refers to the feeling or state of being irritated at a particular moment.