How do you use "Peeved" in a sentence?

I was a bit peeved when they cancelled. She seemed peeved that no one noticed her new haircut. Don't get peeved—it was an accident. He was peeved about waiting so long.

Peeved

Q: What does "Peeved" mean?

Mildly annoyed or irritated Being peeved means experiencing mild annoyance—not rage, just that irritated feeling when things don't go your way. It's a gentle word for a gentle annoyance.

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★☆☆ Moderate Casual

Practice this with flashcards, quizzes & audio on WordLoci →

Meaning: Mildly annoyed or irritated

恼火的、不高兴的

Molesto, irritado

イライラしている、不機嫌な

약간 짜증난, 기분이 언짢은

Being peeved means experiencing mild annoyance—not rage, just that irritated feeling when things don't go your way. It's a gentle word for a gentle annoyance.

Peeved意味着轻微的烦恼——不是愤怒，只是对某事恼火或不满。这是一种相对温和、端庄的抱怨方式。

'Peeved' significa estar ligeramente molesto—no enojado, solo irritado o insatisfecho con algo. Es una forma relativamente suave y digna de quejarse.

「Peeved」は軽くイライラしていること——怒っているわけではなく、何かに対して不機嫌や不満を感じているだけです。比較的穏やかで上品な不満の表現方法です。

peeved는 가벼운 짜증을 경험하는 것을 의미한다—격노가 아니라, 일이 뜻대로 안 될 때 느끼는 불쾌한 느낌이다. 가벼운 불만을 표현하는 부드러운 단어이다.

Examples

I was a bit peeved when they cancelled.
我对他们的反应有点恼火。
Estoy un poco molesto por su reacción.
彼らの反応にちょっとイライラしてる。
그들이 취소했을 때 좀 짜증났어.
She seemed peeved that no one noticed her new haircut.
她因为没被征求意见而不高兴。
Estaba irritada porque no le pidieron su opinión.
意見を聞かれなくて彼女は不機嫌だった。
아무도 새 머리를 알아봐주지 않아서 그녀는 기분이 언짢은 것 같았다.
Don't get peeved—it was an accident.
别那么恼火——只是个小误会。
No te irrites—fue solo un malentendido.
そんなにイライラしないで——ただの誤解だよ。
짜증내지 마—실수였어.
He was peeved about waiting so long.
他们迟到让他有点不高兴。
Estaba un poco molesto porque llegaron tarde.
遅れてきて彼はちょっと機嫌悪かった。
너무 오래 기다려서 그는 좀 기분이 언짢았다.

Pronunciation

/piːvd/

Usage Guide

Context: friends, family, casual situations

Tone: mildly annoyed, understated

✓ Do Say

I'm a bit peeved.
我有点恼火。
Estoy un poco molesto.
ちょっとイライラしてる。
좀 기분이 언짢아.
She seemed peeved.
她看起来很不高兴。
Parecía irritada.
彼女はムッとしてたみたい。
그녀는 기분이 언짢아 보였어.
Don't be peeved.
别那么恼火。
No te irrites.
イライラしないで。
짜증내지 마.

✗ Don't Say

May sound quaint or old-fashioned
相对温和——对于严重的愤怒太弱
Relativamente suave—demasiado débil para enfado serio
比較的穏やか——深刻な怒りには弱すぎる
약간 구식이거나 고풍스럽게 들릴 수 있음
Very mild—not for serious anger
在正式场合可能显得太随意
Puede parecer demasiado casual en entornos formales
フォーマルな場ではカジュアルすぎるかも
매우 가벼운 표현—심각한 분노에는 부적합

Common Mistakes

It's mild—don't use for genuine anger
Has a slightly dated feel to some

Origin & History

American slang from early 20th century, a back-formation from 'peevish' (irritable). The word sounds like what it describes—a small, somewhat petty annoyance.

Etymology: Back-formation from 'peevish' (irritable, querulous)

First recorded: American slang from early 1900s

Cultural Context

Era: Early 20th century onwards

Generation: All ages, slightly dated feel

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Common in American sitcoms; Used in British comedy for understatement

Regional notes: Universal across English-speaking countries.

Variations

A bit peevedQuite peevedGetting peeved