1
as in headaches
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 frustrations
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 annoys
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
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 peeves
Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2026
South Florida drivers have some peeves that were not on the national list.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2025
Wittingham had a few peeves to get off his chest and did so at a symposium this past April at Stanford.
—Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2023
Noun
One of my grandma’s biggest travel pet-peeves is her pants touching the bathroom floor on an airplane.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2026
South Florida drivers have some peeves that were not on the national list.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2025
Wittingham had a few peeves to get off his chest and did so at a symposium this past April at Stanford.
—Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peeves
Noun
-
Hantavirus, a rare disease typically caused by exposure to infected rodents’ urine or feces, can cause headaches, fever, gastrointestinal issues and respiratory problems.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
Patient groups are jockeying for exemptions from Medicaid work requirements, but the unusually fast implementation timeline for states is causing headaches.—
John Wilkerson,
STAT,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Now, two and a half months after the start of the war, Sánchez’s frustrations are broadly shared by his peers in Europe.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
Trump has increasingly expressed frustrations when addressing rising prices at the gas pump, which pose a major political challenge for the president and Republicans during the 2026 midterm elections.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Or when Reggie purposefully annoys Arthur by having his son, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall), practice with his a cappella group in Arthur’s editing suite, a move that demonstrates the increasingly teasing affection between Arthur and Reggie.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Previous modernization efforts The airport has previously suffered from a host of issues that have proved nuisances for travelers, including green liquid falling from the ceiling and broken escalators.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
As a bonus, these plants are generally deer resistant, which may keep these nuisances from crossing over the garden border.—
Haniya Rae,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
As much as Payton bristles about media storylines and huffs about tempo questions, the Broncos went 25 minutes without a first down against Las Vegas.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This is hurtful and bothers me a lot.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
-
My fiance struggles with communication and tends to pretend nothing bothers him.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
When traveling, the EPA suggests inspecting any room visitors will be staying in for the presence of bed bugs.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
As an existing subdivision — 99% of it vacant — Azure Vista offered hundreds of buildable vacant lots populated only by red ants, quail and Groucho Marx bugs.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Also known as seaberry, Fried says this plant is notable for its resistance to deer because of its sharp thorns and tree-like height.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Use clean pruners to trim away shoots, thorns, or roots along the soil and to help maintain the tree’s size.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Peeves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peeves. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
