adjective
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fretful or irritable
a peevish child
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obsolete perverse
Related Words
See cross.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of peevish
1350–1400; Middle English pevysh of unknown origin
Explanation
When you're peevish, you're easily irritated and grumpy. Everything seems to get under your skin. Know someone who always seems annoyed, grumpy, cranky, or irritated? That person is peevish. Some people are peevish in general, but most people can be peevish about certain subjects — we all have a pet peeve. Lots of people get peevish about language: like using the word like all the time as verbal filler. Being peevish is almost always considered a form of pettiness — it's not a good thing. When you're peevish, you're not really looking at the big picture.
Vocabulary lists containing peevish
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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Even More Negative Words to Describe a Person
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Curmudgeon, Cantankerous and Churlish: Grouchy Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Peevish and wrinkled, his face bore scarcely any resemblance to that which, austerely inspired, had looked royally down upon Lavretsky twenty-four hours before, from all the height of its artistic grandeur.
From Liza "A nest of nobles" by Ralston, William Ralston Shedden
Peevish, fretful, spoiled by the flattery of fools, he is incapable of taking care of himself under the conditions in which he finds himself.
From The Root of Evil by Dixon, Thomas
"Peevish porcupines," grunted the old cow-puncher, "but you've got yourself in up to ther neck in printer's ink."
From Ted Strong's Motor Car by Taylor, Edward C.
And he reflected that in spite of her sharp tongue Peevish Peggy was more kind-hearted than he had ever dreamed.
From The Tale of Buster Bumblebee by Smith, Harry L.
Peevish Peggy and some of her companions had played a trick on Buster—because of his boasting.
From The Tale of Buster Bumblebee by Smith, Harry L.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
