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
Relevance
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 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
See All Example Sentences for peevish
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
See All Example Sentences for peevish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peevish
irritable
Adjective
-
Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems, including feeling more irritable.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
-
On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Peevish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peevish. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
