Meaning & use

pet peeve

noun·Everyday

A minor thing that a particular person finds especially annoying.

See it in a sentence

My biggest pet peeve is when people chew with their mouths open.

Slow walkers on a busy sidewalk are a classic pet peeve for commuters.

A note on using this word

A pet peeve is always personal and usually minor, unlike a general complaint that might bother almost everyone equally.

Words with a similar meaning

irritationbugbear

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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