Meaning & use
my pet peeve
Last updated
UK/maɪ ˌpet ˈpiːv/
US/maɪ ˌpet ˈpiːv/
Meaning
phrasecountableinformal
Something small that annoys me personally, though others may not mind it.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun phrase; you can say 'a pet peeve' or 'my pet peeve'.
Patterns
- my pet peeve
- one of my pet peeves
- my biggest pet peeve
My pet peeve is when people talk during a movie.
Leaving the dishes in the sink is one of my pet peeves.
Her biggest pet peeve is slow internet.
Word forms
| plural | pet peeves |
|---|
Common combinations
- my biggest pet peeve
- My biggest pet peeve is people who don't say thank you.
- one of my pet peeves
- Loud chewing is one of my pet peeves.
- a pet peeve of mine
- That's a pet peeve of mine, actually.
- a common pet peeve
- Texting while driving is a common pet peeve.
Synonyms and how they differ
- annoyance
- A more general word for something that makes you slightly angry; 'pet peeve' is stronger and more personal.
- irritation
- Refers to the feeling of being annoyed, not the thing that causes it; 'pet peeve' is the cause.
Opposites
Commonly confused: my pet peeve or pet pee?
my pet peeve vs pet pee
Not a real phrase; 'pet peeve' is the correct expression.
Practice
What does 'my pet peeve' mean?
Choose one answer.
'Pet peeve' means a small personal annoyance. Option 0 confuses 'pet' with an animal. Option 2 is too strong; a pet peeve is minor. Option 3 is wrong because it is not an animal.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “my pet peeve”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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