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Vexed vs Peevish - What's the difference?

vexed | peevish | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between vexed and peevish

is that vexed is annoyed, irritated or distressed while peevish is constantly complaining; fretful, whining.

As a verb vexed

is past tense of vex.

vexed

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • annoyed, irritated or distressed
    • She became more and more vexed as she struggled to cope with the demands of the job.
  • much debated, discussed or disputed
    • the vexed question of whether or not to kiss on a first date

    Quotations

    * 1990 — , Eric , p 72 *: He would be left in no doubt that they were annoyed. He might even go so far as to deduce that they were quite vexed .

    Verb

    (head)
  • (vex)

    • peevish

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l) (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Constantly complaining; fretful, whining.
  • * , King Henry V , act 3, scene 7:
    • Orleans: What a wretched and peevish fellow is this king of England, to mope with his fat-brained followers so far out of his knowledge!
  • * 1813 , , Pride and Prejudice , ch. 41:
    • [T]he luckless Kitty continued in the parlour repining at her fate in terms as unreasonable as her accent was peevish .
  • * 1917 , , "The Mixer" in The Man With Two Left Feet and Other Stories :
    • At first he was quite peevish . "What's the idea," he said, "coming and spoiling a man's beauty-sleep? Get out."

    Derived terms

    * peevishly * peevishness