to pique
2
8.2
- verb
- /pik/
:
ofender
- She was piqued by his dismissive attitude toward her ideas.
Examples
-
Still, he's clearly piqued a lot of support.
Fiction book (1992) -
The Wolf wants to pique him, but this is pouring gasoline onto the fire.
Fiction book (2002) -
Was he simply piqued by the outcome of his meeting with Gorbachev?
Academic text (1990) -
It'd be hitting below the belt, but he was piqued enough not to mind.
Fiction book (2002) -
Sarah, Matt, and Michael's interest is piqued, and they sit up in their chairs.
Academic text (2011) -
Lydia turned, piqued in spite of her anger.
Fiction book (1990) -
Piqued by Stoddard's naivete, Doniphon suggests that he'd better "start packing a handgun."
Academic text (1999) -
Congressional interest in the corporate tax-shelter area seems to have been piqued by the spate of publicity given to a maneuver known as the "Bermuda inversion."
Academic text (2002) -
Her rude comments were enough to pique my anger during the meeting.
-
He felt pique when he realized he had been excluded from the discussion.
Synonyms
524
2.8
Cause a person to feel hurt, upset and angry because of your words or actions
246
1.0
Make someone slightly angry or bothered by small repeated actions
144
3.6
Annoy someone again and again to make them react
114
1.0
To make someone very upset or annoyed
78
2.9
Make someone feel annoyed or impatient, often by repeated small actions
63
6.9
Make someone annoyed, often by small things
31
7.6
To make someone angry or unfriendly
28
4.7
To make someone feel annoyed or unhappy
25
7.2
To annoy someone again and again so they feel bothered
8
6.8
Make someone angry or annoyed on purpose by teasing them
8
7.1
To annoy someone deeply
8
8.0
To make someone feel slightly annoyed
7
4.9
To bother someone again and again until they feel angry
4
7.4
To annoy someone a lot by small things another person does
2
6.8
To make someone feel annoyed
1
7.1
To do or say something on purpose to annoy someone
1
7.9
To make someone angry or upset
1
9.1
To make someone angry
1
7.9
To annoy someone or make them feel defensive
To annoy someone so they become defensive
Antonyms
How Offended
Surface Forms
Etymology
Pique (to offend) comes from the French piquer 'to prick', used like a small sting to someone's pride. That's why to pique someone is to upset or annoy them, as if you have 'pricked' their feelings.