Synonyms of peevish

peevish

adjective

ˈpē-vish 

as in irritable

easily irritated or annoyed

I would rather figure things out on my own than ask that peevish librarian for help

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritable
• fiery
• petulant
• snappish
• irascible
• testy
• pettish
• waspish
• grumpy
• grouchy
• crotchety
• snarky
• crabby
• choleric
• cross
• cranky
• snippy
• passionate
• out of humor
• raspy
• short-tempered
• stuffy
• out of sorts
• perverse
• querulous
• sensitive
• disagreeable
• quick-tempered
• prickly
• cantankerous
• short
• dyspeptic
• contentious
• snippety
• fretful
• ornery
• ratty
• bilious
• curmudgeonly
• surly
• argumentative
• belligerent
• snarly
• snappy
• pugnacious
• bellicose
• combative
• quarrelsome
• sulky
• ill-tempered
• tetchy
• truculent
• sullen
• fractious
• ill-humored
• disputatious
• ill-natured
• pouty
• huffy
• cross-grained
• scrappy
• bearish
• off-colored
• touchy
• off-color
• thin-skinned
• hot-blooded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• friendly
• cordial
• genial
• affable
• outgoing
• amiable
• gregarious
• sweet
• companionable
• agreeable
• sociable
• good-natured
• extroverted
• extraverted
• carefree
• easygoing
• good-tempered
• relaxed
• patient
• well-disposed
• tolerant
• stoical
• stoic
• forbearing
• uncomplaining
• long-suffering
• understanding
• obliging
• happy-go-lucky

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of peevish

Thousands of people — displaced by disaster, their past lives gone up in smoke — are hostage to the whims of a peevish president who always puts his feelings first and cares nothing for the greater good. —Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2025

On a less peevish note: The entry is making its New York Times Crossword debut. —Sam Corbin, New York Times, 14 May 2025

Rojas’s recollections weren’t peevish—fine work was produced under these conditions. —Ian Parker, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025

The songs are muscular and syncretic as ever, but the normally peevish rapper doesn’t maintain his trolling energy for the full record, settling into a questioning and pensive pace. —Stephen Kearse, TIME, 8 Dec. 2024