peeve

¹peeve

transitive verb \ˈpēv\

peevedpeev·ing

Definition of PEEVE

: to make peevish or resentful : annoy

Examples of PEEVE

1. <she is constantly peeved by his habit of humming show tunes while she is trying to focus on her work>

Origin of PEEVE

back-formation from peevish

First Known Use: 1910

Related to PEEVE

Synonyms

aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, itch, nark [British], nettle, irritate, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex

Related Words

hassle, heckle; nag; inflame (also enflame), provoke, rouse; badger, bait, bullyrag (also ballyrag), devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease; anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil; agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry; affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage

Near Antonyms

appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

See Synonym Discussion at irritate

Rhymes with PEEVE

breve, cleave, eave, eve, Eve, greave, grieve, heave, leave, lief, reave, reeve, reive, scrieve, sheave, sleeve, steeve, thieve, weave

²peeve

noun

Definition of PEEVE

1

: a feeling or mood of resentment

2

: a particular grievance or source of aggravation

Examples of PEEVE

1. One of her peeves is people who are always late.
2. <my main peeve with the animal welfare organization is the endless stream of unsolicited trinkets in my mailbox>

First Known Use of PEEVE

1911

Related to PEEVE

Synonyms

aggravation, aggro [British], bother, botheration, bugbear, exasperation, frustration, hair shirt, hassle, headache, inconvenience, irk, irritant, nuisance, annoyance, pest, rub, ruffle, thorn, trial, vexation

Related Words

discomfort, fleabite, pinprick; affront, insult, offense (or offence); upset, worry; affliction, albatross, burden, cross, curse, menace, millstone, plague, sore; anxiety, plight, predicament, tribulation, trouble; hang-up, pet peeve, problem; annoyer, disturber, harasser, mischief, offender; pandora's box

Near Antonyms

delight, joy, pleasure