irritability
B2formal/neutral
Definition
Meaning
A state of being easily annoyed, provoked, or impatient; a tendency to react with anger or frustration.
In biology/medicine: an abnormal or excessive response to stimuli; the quality of being easily excited or inflamed (e.g., skin, nerves).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun form denotes both a temporary state (mood) and a persistent character trait. In medical contexts, it refers to physiological hyper-responsiveness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or definition differences. 'Irritability' is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries a slightly formal or clinical tone. In everyday British English, 'tetchiness' or 'being irritable' might be more common for the mood state.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English in medical/psychological contexts (e.g., 'irritable bowel syndrome').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
irritability in [someone/something]irritability of [something]irritability due to [cause]irritability toward(s) [target]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Someone] has a short fuse”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe workplace tension or a manager's counterproductive demeanor (e.g., 'The CEO's growing irritability was affecting team morale').
Academic
Common in psychology, medicine, and biology literature to describe symptoms, neurological states, or behavioural traits.
Everyday
Describes a bad mood or a person's tendency to snap at others (e.g., 'His irritability was due to lack of sleep').
Technical
A specific clinical symptom in psychiatry (e.g., mood disorders), neurology, and gastroenterology (e.g., visceral irritability).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The constant noise began to irritate him, leading to noticeable irritability.
American English
- Lack of sleep can irritate anyone, increasing their overall irritability.
adverb
British English
- He replied irritably, a clear display of his underlying irritability.
American English
- She sighed irritably, her irritability getting the better of her.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- After no sleep, the baby had a lot of irritability.
- His irritability made it difficult to have a calm conversation with him.
- The doctor noted that fatigue and irritability were common side effects of the medication.
- The study correlated increased screen time with heightened irritability and decreased attention spans in adolescents.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'IRRIT-ability' – the ABILITY to become IRRITated easily.
Conceptual Metaphor
IRRITABILITY IS HEAT/PRESSURE (e.g., 'boiling over', 'short fuse', 'reached his boiling point').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'irritation' (раздражение) which can also mean 'skin irritation'. 'Irritability' is specifically the *tendency* or *state* of being easily irritated. It is not 'irritation' as a temporary feeling.
- Avoid direct calque 'irritabelnost'' – it is not a standard Russian word. Use 'раздражительность'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'iritability' (single 'r').
- Confusing 'irritability' (noun) with 'irritable' (adjective) in sentence structure.
- Using it for momentary anger instead of a sustained state or trait.
Practice
Quiz
In a medical context, 'irritability' can refer to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Irritation' is the feeling of being annoyed or the cause of that feeling. 'Irritability' is the *tendency* or *state* of being easily annoyed.
In a behavioural context, yes, it describes a negative state. In a strict medical/biological sense (e.g., 'muscle irritability'), it is a neutral descriptor of responsiveness.
Yes, in technical contexts. E.g., 'The irritability of the nerve cell was tested.' or 'The dog's irritability was a symptom of its illness.'
'Increased irritability' or 'signs of irritability' are very common, especially in medical and everyday descriptions of mood.
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