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Definition of peeve

peeve

/piːv/
peeve
Plural:peeves
•
Adjective:peeved
•
Past Simple:peeved
•
Past Participle:peeved
•
Present Participle:peeving
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peeve Lexical Profile

peeve Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A cause of annoyance or irritation (most commonly used in the phrase 'pet peeve').

Example

"One of her biggest peeves is when people talk loudly on their phones in quiet public spaces."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for peeve

• verb

1

To annoy, irritate, or arouse resentment in someone.

Example

"It really peeved him that nobody bothered to clean up the kitchen after the meeting."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for peeve
Antonyms
View all antonyms for peeve

• Rhymes for peeve

• Nearby Words

peer
peerage
peerless
peeve
peeved
peevish
peevishly

Word Origin & Etymology

Originated in the early 20th century as an American English back-formation from the adjective 'peevish', which dates back to the late 14th century with uncertain origins.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Peeve. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/peeve
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