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peeve

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word peeve different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of peeve are exasperate, irritate, nettle, provoke, and rile. While all these words mean "to excite a feeling of anger or annoyance," peeve suggests arousing fretful often petty or querulous irritation.

a toddler peeved at being refused a cookie

In what contexts can exasperate take the place of peeve?

In some situations, the words exasperate and peeve are roughly equivalent. However, exasperate suggests galling annoyance and the arousing of extreme impatience.

his exasperating habit of putting off needed decisions

When can irritate be used instead of peeve?

Although the words irritate and peeve have much in common, irritate implies an often gradual arousing of angry feelings that may range from mere impatience to rage.

constant nagging that irritated me greatly

When might nettle be a better fit than peeve?

The words nettle and peeve can be used in similar contexts, but nettle suggests a sharp but passing annoyance or stinging.

your pompous attitude nettled several people

When would provoke be a good substitute for peeve?

While the synonyms provoke and peeve are close in meaning, provoke implies an arousing of strong annoyance that may excite to action.

remarks made solely to provoke her

When is it sensible to use rile instead of peeve?

The synonyms rile and peeve are sometimes interchangeable, but rile implies inducing an angry or resentful agitation.

the new work schedules riled the employees

Examples 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 peeve
Noun
Yes,Gran Turismo does stupid movie things like, my personal peeve, constantly have the drivers glare at each other through the side window. Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 11 Aug. 2023 That lack of flexibility in cannabis-consumption devices has long been one of my pet pot peeves, and Ooka is far from the first company (and undoubtedly won’t be the last) to take this approach. Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2023
Verb
Trump’s comment about Haley’s husband peeved Randhawa, an army veteran who posted a string of X posts and reshares over the weekend blasting his sister’s opponent. USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024 Banks are particularly peeved by a proposal for guarding against risks posed by mortgage lending. Emily Flitter, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for peeve 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peeve
Noun
  • Exposure to high concentrations can cause people to lose consciousness and can lead to long-term effects such as headaches, poor attention span, poor memory and poor motor function, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
    Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
  • Common symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, mild headache, and a low-grade fever.
    Brandi Jones, MSN-Ed, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Examples of structural issues include being easily annoyed by other people’s demands and stories about their daily activities.
    Courtney Smith, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
  • The report said the mailings annoyed and confused some voters.
    Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The world wars turned the insect from a nuisance to a mortal threat.
    Salama Udaipurwala, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2024
  • But, as this CNN investigation reveals, this public nuisance has an exploitative underbelly that warrants scrutiny.
    Longreads, Longreads, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Volunteers were charged around 25 cents per huff, bringing in good profit for those who’d invested in the necessary gas tanks, tubes, and breathing bags.
    Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
  • The huffs and hums, produced by two women standing face-to-face and vocalizing from their throats, is believed to be one of the oldest music forms in the world.
    Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2024
Verb
  • Bungie recently acknowledged the existence of arguably the worst bug in Destiny 2’s entire history, the revelation that for years now, loot drops have been bugged to make certain perk combinations close to impossible to get, when all combinations were supposedly supposed to be weighted equally.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • In the meantime, if the node is painful or just bugging you, resist the urge to touch or squeeze it, Dr. Norton says, which can make the swelling worse.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Lai, a billionaire media tycoon who had long been a thorn in the side of Beijing, was arrested in August 2020, shortly after the central Chinese government imposed a national security law that criminalizes secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
    Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
  • The lawsuit, filed by California resident Victor Cho, alleges a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, a federal law barring the disclosure of information about viewing habits that’s long been a thorn in the side of streaming providers.
    Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Then came the anger, hurt and all that goes with it.
    R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • This means asking them to let go of any anger and resentment toward you, but don’t force anything.
    Hylke Faber, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Jeff Beal, owner of the Cigar Vault, said the business uses a ventilation system that recycles the air, so patrons of nearby businesses should not be bothered by the cigar smoke.
    Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
  • They cannot be bothered with solving the day-to-day needs-to-survive of their charges.
    Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near peeve

Cite this Entry

“Peeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peeve. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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