Antonyms for pettish
| Grammar : Adj |
| Spell : pet-ish |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˈpɛt ɪʃ |
Definition of pettish
Origin :- 1550s, "impetuous," evidently from pet (n.2) in its "ill humor" sense + -ish. Meaning "peevish, easily annoyed" is from 1590s.
- It has naturally been assoc. with PET sb.1, as being a characteristic habit of a "pet" or indulged and spoiled child; but the connexion of sense is not very clear or simple .... [OED]
- Related: Pettishly; pettishness.
- As in quarrelsome : adj being disagreeable
- As in touchy : adj easily offended
- As in cross : adj very angry; in a bad mood
- As in disagreeable : adj bad-tempered, irritable
- As in fractious : adj grouchy, cross
- As in grumpy : adj in a bad mood
- As in huffy : adj angry, in a bad mood
- Nor was there in this her conclusion anything of chagrin, or pettish self-humiliation.
- Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
- She threw it down upon the table with a pettish gesture that was wholly feminine.
- Extract from : « Good Indian » by B. M. Bower
- “But you know I go to sleep when I am rocking,” said Tessa, in pettish remonstrance.
- Extract from : « Romola » by George Eliot
- Now, Margaret, do not be pettish, and deny yourself what you know you like best.
- Extract from : « Deerbrook » by Harriet Martineau
- Mr. Haydon affected not to see the pettish act, but turned to his companion.
- Extract from : « That Girl Montana » by Marah Ellis Ryan
- Polly laughed, and did the same, feeling sorry she had been so pettish.
- Extract from : « Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag VI » by Louisa M. Alcott
- And he left the house in sorrow, and just, but not pettish, indignation.
- Extract from : « A Simpleton » by Charles Reade
- Frank thrust out one hand and gave the animal a pettish push.
- Extract from : « Old Mr. Wiley » by Fanny Greye La Spina
- Ephraim was always gentle, even when I was pettish and cross.
- Extract from : « The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 122, December, 1867 » by Various
- She was such a very baby, with her ready blushes and her pettish, lovely face.
- Extract from : « Vagabondia » by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Synonyms for pettish
- angered
- annoyed
- argumentative
- awkward
- bad-tempered
- bellicose
- belligerent
- brawling
- brusque
- bundle of nerves
- cantankerous
- captious
- cat-and-dog
- caviling
- choleric
- churlish
- combative
- contentious
- contrary
- crabbed
- crabby
- cranky
- cross
- crotchety
- crusty
- curt
- delicate
- dicey
- difficult
- disagreeable
- disgruntled
- disobliging
- disorderly
- disputatious
- dissatisfied
- dissentious
- eristic
- exasperated
- excitable
- faultfinding
- fiery
- fractious
- fretful
- froward
- gladiatorial
- griping
- grouchy
- grumbling
- grumpy
- hasty
- have chip on shoulder
- hazardous
- hotheaded
- huffish
- huffy
- hurt
- hypersensitive
- ill-humored
- ill-natured
- ill-tempered
- impassioned
- impatient
- indocile
- indomitable
- insulted
- intractable
- irascible
- irked
- irritable
- jumpy
- litigious
- mean
- miffed
- moody
- moping
- nasty
- nettled
- obnoxious
- offended
- offensive
- ornery
- out of humor
- out of sorts
- oversensitive
- passionate
- peeved
- peevish
- perturbable
- perverse
- pettish
- petulant
- piqued
- precarious
- provoked
- pugnacious
- put out
- querulous
- quick-tempered
- ratty
- recalcitrant
- refractory
- resentful
- restive
- riled
- risky
- ructious
- rude
- scrappy
- sensitive
- short
- snappish
- snappy
- splenetic
- stewed
- sulky
- sullen
- surly
- temperamental
- tempestuous
- testy
- tetchy
- thin-skinned
- ticklish
- touchy
- tricky
- truculent
- turbulent
- ugly
- uncompliant
- undisciplined
- unfriendly
- ungracious
- unlikable
- unmanageable
- unpleasant
- unpredictable
- unruly
- unsafe
- uptight
- vexed
- violent
- volatile
- war
- waspish
- wayward
- whiny
- wild
- wired up
- wound up
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019