1
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
my main peeve with the animal welfare organization is the endless stream of unsolicited trinkets in my mailbox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in resentment
the feeling of being offended or resentful after a slight or indignity
he holds on to a peeve until the offending person apologizes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts
she is constantly peeved by his habit of humming show tunes while she is trying to focus on her work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of peeve
Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2025
Trump’s taunts and global peeves aired during a stream-of-consciousness news conference included criticism of President Biden for ordering an offshore oil drilling ban along most U.S. coastlines two weeks before his successor’s Inauguration.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025
Marc Snetiker, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
With his far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, sitting in the front row, Netanyahu took the stage, looking a little peeved, and berated the event’s organizers for muddling his slide show.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for peeve
Noun
The recent columns about viewers’ TV peeves have generated a lot of mail, including this letter.
—Rich Heldenfels, Boston Herald, 22 Feb. 2025
Trump’s taunts and global peeves aired during a stream-of-consciousness news conference included criticism of President Biden for ordering an offshore oil drilling ban along most U.S. coastlines two weeks before his successor’s Inauguration.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
But whenever Will is peeving about something or getting in the way of the kids' fun, things just seem a little less gleeful.
—Marc Snetiker, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Oct. 2025
With his far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, sitting in the front row, Netanyahu took the stage, looking a little peeved, and berated the event’s organizers for muddling his slide show.
—Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for peeve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peeve
Noun
-
Unexpectedly, though, operators stumbled across an issue with ground support equipment that could cause more headaches for a crucial moon mission that has already slipped at least a month from its target launch date.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Running out of memory, setting up a new phone or simply wanting peace of mind, Picture Keeper removes the headache from backups.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Lucas in particular was driven as much by resentment of the old as passion for the new.—
Mark Athitakis,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Watching his resentment build is hilarious up until the moment it’s taken seriously.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rosebush Pruning, by contrast, feels designed to annoy us and push us away.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2026
-
In this short 4-minute video from CoComelon, baby JJ does a number of things that may hurt or annoy someone near him, including sitting on his sister’s painting and slurping loudly on his juice.—
Marilyn La Jeunesse,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Honeysuckle is considered a nuisance by many homeowners.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
-
This list includes invasive species that spread across the landscape, smothering everything in their path (like kudzu, of course), as well as fast-growing native species, like trumpet vine and Virginia creeper, which spread quickly and can become a nuisance in yards and gardens.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Trojans eventually settled in on offense, but their stifling defense would have to lead the way throughout.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Lawmaker Jorge Arreaza, who presented the bill, highlighted these carve-outs to ensure the measure does not shield serious offenses.—
Alessandra Freitas,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Don’t let those small scratches bug you—just use a little Bar Keeper’s Friend to buff them out.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
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Instead, Ladinig says Pierre Haobsh bugged Henry Han's computer with a spyware app called a keylogger.—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The question over how Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement will impact the World Cup — when millions are expected to visit — remains a thorn in FIFA’s side.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Let’s go through your roses and thorns for some of the show’s most iconic scenes.—
Reshma Gopaldas,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 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
Cite this Entry
“Peeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peeve. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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