Peevishly

Peevishly describes a manner or behavior characterized by irritation, annoyance, or fretfulness. It indicates a display of impatience or discontent, often expressed in a querulous or complaining way. When someone acts peevishly, they are likely to be easily upset or offended by minor things. The behavior often stems from frustration, tiredness, or simply a bad mood. It suggests a petulant and slightly childish reaction to a situation, reflecting a lack of good humor or forbearance.

Peevishly meaning with examples

• The child, denied a second helping of dessert, stamped her foot and answered the question peevishly, with a whine that echoed around the dinner table. It was clear she was very unhappy at the injustice, even if a second portion wasn't really needed. Her parents often found her peevish, especially when hungry.
• After a long delay, the customer responded to the service representative peevishly, demanding an explanation for the hold-up and grumbling about the inconvenience. The employee was helpful but the customer's attitude made a simple fix more difficult. She did eventually solve the problem to the customer's apparent satisfaction.
• The traffic jam caused the commuters to react peevishly, honking their horns and making agitated gestures, reflecting their frustration at the unexpected standstill. The stress of the commute was made worse by the driver's bad behaviour and lack of patience. It made the road dangerous at times.
• The old man, tired from the walk, spoke peevishly about the heat, swatting away a fly and complaining about the lack of shade along the pathway. He needed a seat and a drink to avoid being peevish. He hadn't been very happy with his friend's decision to choose that route for the walk.