peeve 1 of 2

Definition of peevenext

peeve

2 of 2

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
Among his litany of peeves is that, because arXiv has seen a surge in submissions in recent times, especially in the AI category, the number of low-quality papers has followed a similar curve—and arXiv has nowhere near enough volunteers to vet them all. Sheon Han, Wired News, 27 Mar. 2025 The recent columns about viewers’ TV peeves have generated a lot of mail, including this letter. Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
Amidst the general on-sale Friday, peeved fans posted screenshots showing tickets already on resale, marked up by hundreds of dollars within hours of the on-sale. Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 21 Nov. 2025 Broadly, the Blue Jackets were peeved that the 5-1 final score does not reflect the way the game was played. Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for peeve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peeve
Noun
  • The headache for employers could be to the benefit of workers, as Huang has previously suggested trades people could soon command six-figure salaries, even early in their career.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 11 May 2026
  • Listeriosis can cause symptoms of fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
    Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Rather than silently internalizing tension, partners who processed small relational strains together appeared better able to maintain emotional connection and prevent resentment from accumulating.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • Wilde and Seth Rogen play longtime marrieds harboring a laundry list of resentments who host their upstairs neighbors (Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton) for an evening of fun.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • To Henry, this would have been for the greater good of English football, but the reaction was again one of anger and Henry was annoyed that the idea was killed off.
    Simon Hughes, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • The non-meat use of the term came from the online chat room community, which by the late 1980s was already using it to denote a mass influx of data into their chat rooms that could trigger a computer crash and/or annoy chat room users.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The hotel is on a block next to a major road, but the noise is more of a distant city hum than a nuisance.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026
  • Sargassum has become an increasingly expensive nuisance for coastal communities, and as blooms become larger due to warming water temperatures because of climate change and fertilizer run off providing blooms with endless nutrients, the problem will continue to mushroom.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • That freed up Plum to be in position to score, setting up a much more efficient Sparks offense.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2026
  • Brown is still building up his pitch count with his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, requiring high efficiency facing Major League Baseball’s best offense to give them that many outs.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Although pest control companies offer lethal solutions such as carpenter bee traps or chemical treatments, the best way to keep carpenter bees from bugging you is using stained, sealed, varnished or treated wood in building projects.
    Sarah Linn April 24, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Kris says of the fascinator — is actually a crown of sticks and thorns that would fit in beautifully in an episode of Yellowjackets.
    Jen Chaney, Vulture, 13 May 2026
  • Wear protective clothing and leather gloves, as thorns found along the stems hurt.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2026
Noun
  • Among agonized grunts and huffs, Probst narrated the fumbles.
    Sarah Grant, New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2026
  • David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.
    Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Peeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peeve. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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