short fuse

noun

: a tendency to get angry easily : a quick temper
… was seen as the bad guy, the one whose short fuse was scary, destructive and uncontrollable.Rick Telander
short-fused adjective
… a fiery and short-fused 30-year-old driver as well known for tantrums and bad behavior as he is for being the best rookie in history … The New York Times

Examples of short fuse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The series will see the two Emmy-winning kitchen gurus guiding 12 chefs with ego issues or short fuses through culinary challenges that will put their personal and emotional issues to the test. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025 Amorim is a more experienced manager than five years ago but deep down, as with many managers, there is a short fuse that can be ignited. Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025 Failing to do so risks upsetting a leader with a short fuse and the power to sink a company’s stock or ignite a boycott with a single social media post. Allison Morrow, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024 Sofia doesn’t take kindly to this revelation, exhibiting the short fuse that lights up real quick whenever a cornered man is trying to feed her a story to save his own ass. Andy Andersen, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for short fuse

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of short fuse was in 1958

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Short fuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20fuse. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

short fuse

noun
: a tendency to get angry easily
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!