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Definition of "peevish" [pee•vish]

  • Querulous or discontented. (adjective)
  • Ill-tempered. (adjective)
  • Contrary; fractious. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "peevish" in a sentence
  • "It even has its own pair of Watchmen-style deconstructed superheroes: Mermaid Man, shuffling in peevish slippers toward senility, and his long-suffering sidekick, Barnacle Boy."
  • "The word peevish would pretty well describe the condition of Mrs. Alstine, who had a chronic ailment that prevented her enjoying the hospitality of friends."
  • "His face was insignificant, his expression peevish, his features without the animation of any high purpose."