| Library / English Dictionary |
ILL-NATURED
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Having an irritable and unpleasant disposition
Classified under:
Similar:
vinegarish; vinegary (having a sour disposition; ill-tempered)
surly; ugly (inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace)
spoiled; spoilt (having the character or disposition harmed by pampering or oversolicitous attention)
snappish; snappy (apt to speak irritably)
nagging; shrewish (continually complaining or faultfinding)
shirty; snorty ((British informal) ill-tempered or annoyed)
misogynistic; misogynous (hating women in particular)
misanthropic; misanthropical (hating mankind in general)
huffish; sulky (sullen or moody)
disagreeable (unpleasant to interact with)
dark; dour; glowering; glum; moody; morose; saturnine; sour; sullen (showing a brooding ill humor)
currish (resembling a cur; snarling and rude)
crusty; curmudgeonly; gruff; ill-humored; ill-humoured (brusque and surly and forbidding)
cranky; fractious; irritable; nettlesome; peckish; peevish; pettish; petulant; scratchy; techy; testy; tetchy (easily irritated or annoyed)
bad-tempered; crabbed; crabby; cross; fussy; grouchy; grumpy; ill-tempered (annoyed and irritable)
churlish (having a bad disposition; surly)
choleric; hot-tempered; hotheaded; irascible; quick-tempered; short-tempered (quickly aroused to anger)
cantankerous; crotchety; ornery (having a difficult and contrary disposition)
bristly; prickly; splenetic; waspish (very irritable)
atrabilious; bilious; dyspeptic; liverish (irritable as if suffering from indigestion)
Also:
unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)
Attribute:
nature (the complex of emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's characteristic actions and reactions)
Antonym:
good-natured (having an easygoing and cheerful disposition)
Context examples:
The manner in which Miss Steele had spoken of Edward, increased her curiosity; for it struck her as being rather ill-natured, and suggested the suspicion of that lady's knowing, or fancying herself to know something to his disadvantage.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
In Darcy's presence she dared not mention Wickham's name; but Elizabeth instantly comprehended that he was uppermost in her thoughts; and the various recollections connected with him gave her a moment's distress; but exerting herself vigorously to repel the ill-natured attack, she presently answered the question in a tolerably detached tone.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
Well, but Miss Dashwood, speaking triumphantly, people may say what they chuse about Mr. Ferrars's declaring he would not have Lucy, for it is no such thing I can tell you; and it is quite a shame for such ill-natured reports to be spread abroad.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
Lady Lucas could not be insensible of triumph on being able to retort on Mrs. Bennet the comfort of having a daughter well married; and she called at Longbourn rather oftener than usual to say how happy she was, though Mrs. Bennet's sour looks and ill-natured remarks might have been enough to drive happiness away.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
