Definitions
- Describing someone who is easily irritated or annoyed. - Referring to a person who is bad-tempered and irritable. - Talking about a mood that is characterized by irritability or impatience.
- Describing someone who is difficult to deal with, often argumentative or uncooperative. - Referring to a person who is ill-tempered and quarrelsome. - Talking about a mood that is characterized by a bad temper or a tendency to argue.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe negative moods or attitudes.
- 2Both words refer to people who are difficult to deal with.
- 3Both words suggest a lack of patience or tolerance.
- 4Both words can be used to describe a temporary or ongoing state of mind.
- 5Both words have negative connotations.
What is the difference?
- 1Intensity: Cantankerous is more intense than peevish and suggests a more extreme level of irritability or bad temper.
- 2Duration: Cantankerous implies a more long-lasting and persistent mood or attitude than peevish.
- 3Age: Cantankerous is often associated with older people, while peevish can be used to describe people of any age.
- 4Usage: Cantankerous is less common than peevish and may be considered more formal or literary.
- 5Connotation: Cantankerous has a stronger association with being argumentative or quarrelsome, while peevish is more focused on irritability or annoyance.
Remember this!
Peevish and cantankerous are both negative words used to describe people with difficult attitudes or moods. However, cantankerous is more intense and long-lasting than peevish, and is often associated with older people. Cantankerous also has a stronger connotation of being argumentative or quarrelsome, while peevish is more focused on irritability or annoyance.
