peeve 1 of 2

peeve

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word peeve different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of peeve are exasperate, irritate, nettle, provoke, and rile. While all these words mean "to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance," peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

In what contexts can exasperate take the place of peeve?

In some situations, the words exasperate and peeve are roughly equivalent. However, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When can irritate be used instead of peeve?

Although the words irritate and peeve have much in common, irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

When might nettle be a better fit than peeve?

The words nettle and peeve can be used in similar contexts, but nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When would provoke be a good substitute for peeve?

While the synonyms provoke and peeve are close in meaning, provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

When is it sensible to use rile instead of peeve?

The synonyms rile and peeve are sometimes interchangeable, but rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of peeve
Noun
Seeing cooks walk back and forth to their pantry is one of Roger’s top peeves. Marni Jameson, Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2024 During his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden reached for one of his top recent peeves: shrinkflation. Alina Selyukh, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
And people are often peeved to hear about it. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Nov. 2024 Billionaire tech CEOs Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Sundar Pichai of Google, Tim Cook of Apple, and Elon Musk got prime seats at President Trump’s inauguration in the Capitol rotunda — peeving lawmakers in both parties. Emily Brooks, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for peeve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peeve
Noun
  • Dehydration can be dangerous and may result in headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and other unpleasant symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
    Sarah Klein, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Not everyone with a mild headache needs a CT scan of the brain.
    Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Seiders, 44, is charged with felony child pornography possession, misdemeanor annoying a child under 18, concealing a camera with intent to invade privacy and attempting to conceal a camera.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
  • What annoyed me was good old-fashioned stupid gameplay.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • On April 30th, 2022, a security guard at a local business plaza called the police to report Mary as a nuisance.
    Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Protester Trenton Oldfield swam in front of both boats and was jailed for six months for causing a public nuisance.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The chute opens, and rambunctious No. 2 bursts out with an impatient huff.
    Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Volunteers were charged around 25 cents per huff, bringing in good profit for those who’d invested in the necessary gas tanks, tubes, and breathing bags.
    Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Curry is 37 and played Sunday with his right thumb wrapped in athletic tape, nursing an ailment that has bugged him all season.
    Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • And for me, nothing bugs me more than engaging in social activities to check the box rather than making meaningful connections.
    Time, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Yet, that $250,000 could well be enough to become more than just a thorn in the side of the ransomware industry if Halcyon has anything to do with.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Steyer’s company, long a thorn in the tech mogul’s side, promotes safer tech for children.
    Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to …boffo box office!
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The focal point of our anger and pain may not even know we are hurt.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about.
    Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2025
  • So much so that Gillaspie didn’t bother to even grab a towel last summer when a pitching coach yelled into the visiting showers to alert him that Triple-A El Paso manager Pete Zamora needed to see him.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Peeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peeve. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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