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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Cass fulfills his obligations in a particularly irritable way.—
Jesse Hassenger,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2025
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One person’s fatigue is another’s back pain, is another’s migraine or irritable bowel, or long Covid, and so on.—
Jessica DuLong,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But Democrats are angry and want leaders who are generally younger and uniformly more willing to take on President Donald Trump.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
13 June 2025
-
When conducting immigration raids, federal agents from the D.H.S., including Border Patrol, and from the F.B.I. often do interact with crowds of angry community members.—
Bora Erden,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Under Nézet-Séguin, the musicians do the job spectacularly, releasing all those bilious harmonies and seething rhythms in an unbroken two-hour spasm of excitement.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2025
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And Emily’s side of the family isn't much better, represented by her mean, bilious aunt (Allison Janney, herself no slouch in the hissing-authority department) and her boozy mother (Elizabeth Perkins, replacing Jean Smart from the first film).—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Befriending Cressida Cowper is a respectable exercise in recognizing biases, but the pair’s interactions are as disagreeable as those bangs.—
Zoe Haylock,
Vulture,
16 May 2024
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If Alex has a bit more credibility, not being as intractable in her positions, both have a tendency to come off as disagreeable in their incessant bickering and self-righteousness.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Her cantankerous dad undoubtedly gets the best zingers.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
10 June 2025
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Ten-year-old Louisa is walking on a beach on the Japanese coast at night with her father, a cantankerous college instructor named Serk.—
Sam Worley,
Vulture,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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For years, India had no dedicated laws addressing acid violence, leaving survivors isolated and facing overwhelming physical, emotional, and economic challenges.—
Iona Brannon,
AFAR Media,
6 May 2025
-
Azaleas do like an acid soil and grow best when the soil acidity is in the pH range of 4.5 to 5.5.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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But when Chief, the ornery stray, gets overruled into helping his pack assist a boy who’s crash-landed on their trash island, Cranston really nails it.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
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The ornery character actor Richard Kind is his announcer, barking non sequiturs from behind a podium.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Finally, with homicides soaring to record levels, exasperated authorities pivoted to a novel strategy: Mexico filed a $10-billion suit in U.S. federal court seeking to have Smith & Wesson and other signature manufacturers held accountable for the country’s epidemic of shooting deaths.—
Patrick J. McDonnell,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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Sabalenka was often frustrated during the first set, remonstrating and shouting at herself and frequently turning around to look at her team with an exasperated look on her face.—
Jerome Pugmire,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Splenetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splenetic. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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