as in problem
US
something that annoys or bothers a person very much
One of my biggest pet peeves is people driving too slowly on the highway.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 pet peeve
Hands down, the best feature of this jacket is the Life Pocket, which is designed to keep phones at a full battery throughout the day—a feature any skier will appreciate since an empty battery at the end of a ski day is a common pet peeve.
—
Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 26 Nov. 2025
Her pet peeve in employees, meanwhile, is those who process, rather than think of ways to meaningfully contribute.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025
This uncomfortable truth sharpened recently when a friend shared her pet peeve about cell phones on the table when dining out with companions.
—Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
Wherever Walnut is a beautiful rosy nude that doesn't pull orange on me (my pet peeve).
—Sarah Hoffmann, Allure, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pet peeve
Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 26 Nov. 2025
Her pet peeve in employees, meanwhile, is those who process, rather than think of ways to meaningfully contribute.
—Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2025
This uncomfortable truth sharpened recently when a friend shared her pet peeve about cell phones on the table when dining out with companions.
—Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
Wherever Walnut is a beautiful rosy nude that doesn't pull orange on me (my pet peeve).
—Sarah Hoffmann, Allure, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pet peeve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pet peeve
Noun
-
Gemini May 21 – June 20 A small realization about money or priorities could solve more than one problem today.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 May 2026
-
Language development, emotional regulation, problem-solving, and relationship-building all begin before age three.—
Tina Dello Russo,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
At the macro scale of society, loss of control seems like a legitimate reason for worry.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Their worry is that investors are treating this economic moment — physical supply disruptions, geopolitical fracturing, tariff whiplash — like the liquidity crises of the past, which were solvable with government cash.—
Rachel Keidan,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pet peeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pet%20peeve. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
