Pet Peeves, Deal Breakers, Annoyances
This is about things we find a bit annoying, exasperating, frustrating, irritating. But just to a selected few. Some can live with them without thinking twice about it. Others can’t. These are pet peeves, and they do bug us each and every time they happen.
They can be small things like people chewing out loud close to you. Or a roll of toilet paper put on the wrong way. Or people who always say “What’s up?” without saying “Hello” first. Small, but so irritating and impossible to forget or forgive.
But what is a pet peeve? To put it simply, the pet peeve meaning is a particular annoyance that is nurtured and cherished, pretty much as we’d do with a pet. We’re proud of our pet peeves and curious about others’ pet peeves.
My biggest pet peeves
Pet peeves can make or break relationships at home, in the office, or with friends. Let’s have a look together at some funny pet peeves, relationships pet peeves, and last but not least, the biggest pet peeves of them all! But first…
Definition: pet peeve meaning
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a pet peeve as “a frequent subject of complaint.” Certainly, everyone can relate to these kinds of annoyances!
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Pet peeve examples
Before getting into the real action and seeing pet peeves at the office or in relationships, let’s have a quick look at some pet peeves examples. Just to get an idea about what’s coming next! These are usual pet peeves; we find them everywhere, but hopefully not every day!
1.) People who get on the metro, tram, or any type of public transportation and won’t move away from the doors. We’re all going to fit in; just move to the back. No point in blocking the doors, none!
2.) People who are always on a diet and decide to bring it up while you’re enjoying a donut or a bagel. Just don’t!
3.) People who sneeze on other people, food, things, spreading droplets on a 2 meters radius. Just cover your mouth with something, for God’s sake!
4.) People who ask if they could use your stuff after they started doing that already. Just put down my coffee mug! You’re definitely not welcome to it!
5.) People who say “Don’t take it personally” after they just offended you big time. How could I NOT take it personally?!
6.) People who are walking in front of you deciding to just stop with no warning. Nop, nop, nop. Just pull over if you want to stop. Pretend you are a car.
7.) People who cut the line saying they just want to ask something.
Common pet peeves
It’s impossible not to feel like your temperature is rising when these things happen. They are so annoying! But it’s not only this! They happen a lot, in different circumstances! Here are some of the most popular, frequent, common pet peeves!
8.) People who are chewing their food loudly very close to you.
9.) People who hold the line at the metro station or anywhere else because they don’t find their card, change, cash, or whatever.
10.) Not finding the car keys when you are in a hurry to leave home.
11.) Friends who tell you they’ll be there and cancel at the last minute when you’ve already got to the restaurant, cinema, whatever and now it’s too late for you to leave.
12.) Restaurants with tables too close to each other that you can just hear everything people talk, and you know they could hear you just as well, so better eat in silence.
13.) People who are overly enthusiastic about everything. “It’s Friday, yay! And look, the sun is up in the sky, good reason to celebrate!”. No, it’s just too much.
14.) People who are overly pessimistic about everything. “I just won the lottery, but probably the taxes are huge. I wish I’d never bought the ticket, such a headache”. Really? Are you for real?
15.) People who behave like your sister from another mister or your brother from another mother after meeting you like 2 minutes ago. Especially if they do mention you feel like a sister/ brother to them.
Pet peeves that drive women crazy
“Women are so hard to please”! Most women hate it when they hear this and other things along these lines. So, what are some girl pet peeves worth mentioning?
16.) Men who are misspelling the name on the first date. Dude, just ask!
17.) Men who are wearing white underwear that’s not so white anymore.
18.) Men who are leaving the toilet seat up.
19.) Men who are leaving hairs in the sink after shaving.
20.) Men who are not offering to pay at the restaurant. At least their part of the bill.
21.) Men who are saying how they don’t buy you flowers because it’s all such a cliché. Really? Well, maybe you’re just cheap.
22.) Men who don’t want to celebrate Valentine’s Day because it’s too commercialized. Well, nothing is stopping you from making a handmade greeting card, a love note, or something less commercialized if this is really the issue here, which is usually not the case!
23.) Men who take you out to a fancy restaurant mention a million times they are taking you out to a fancy restaurant and then comment on how you should get a salad to watch your figure. No, if it’s such a fancy restaurant, let’s have the surf ‘n’ turf or Argentinian steak or something. Not the salad.
24.) Men who say they can’t remember birthdays, anniversaries, etc. and never get a gift. It’s hard not to remember something you really want to remember with all the calendars on your phone, tablet, and laptop. Did you know that Alexa can support Google, Apple, and even Microsoft calendar? So, no, no excuses for forgetting birthdays!
Explore this list of emotions and feelings.
Things that drive men crazy
“All the good men are taken!” Fancy hearing this on the first date. Again and again and again. And this is how guys’ pet peeves are born!
25.) At the restaurant, she orders a salad, and you get a steak with fries, and she grabs food off your plate. Why doesn’t she order what she wants to eat?
26.) She talks about the ex all the time, and she compares you to the ex (and it’s not always that you come on top!).
27.) Keeping in touch with the ex – texting, talking on the phone, comments on social media. Just move on already!
28.) The silent treatment after a fight. How can someone so talkative refrain from talking for so long just to punish?!
29.) Being late because she took forever to get dressed and get out of the house.
30.) Asking “What’s wrong?” and getting an empty “Nothing” when it’s obvious there’s something (and it seems serious!).
31.) Talking with their girlfriends about your sex life and them giggling when they see you. So not cool!
32.) When she farts with other people around, and everybody gives you the evil eye.
Pet peeves in relationships
Did you know that 97.5% of all relationships end because of pet peeves? Of course, we just made this up now, but you’re welcome to use it in case a potential fight comes up and you have no ammo.
33.) When she/ he is comparing your relationship to other people’s relationships based on their Facebook profile. You just can’t win at this game. Everyone’s so in love, affectionate and romantic on Facebook! And all women cook!
34.) When she/ he is spending too much time on the phone (talking to friends or texting) over dinner or a movie.
35.) When he/ she looks at the food on your plate and says “Eew” to express disgust. Why do you have to do this? I’m going to eat it anyway!
36.) “I told you so!”. There are probably very few things worse than this!
37.) Her asking if she looks fat in the jeans. Him asking if the hair on top of his head started to get thinner. The answer is yes to both questions. Sorry, no, the right answer is NO!
38.) People trying to change their partners or giving them unsolicited advice on how to become better.
39.) Messiness in the bedroom. Nobody wants dirty panties on the bedroom floor unless it’s just before or after a lovemaking session.
40.) Not taking a shower after sex.
41.) Folding clothes after taking them off, before having sex.
Annoying behavior when flying
Flying for hours in a steel tube crammed with people is nobody’s favorite pastime. Definitely not ours. And you’d think this is enough to make people more considerate towards each other and more careful. But no, there are quite a few pet peeves in planes that are extremely annoying.
42.) People in the window seats who need to go to the bathroom or to talk to other people once every 20 minutes or so. Just don’t!
43.) Couples sitting one in the window seat and one in the aisle talking to each other over you and saying “No, it’s ok!” each time you offer to change seats with any of them. It’s really not ok!
44.) People standing up the moment the plane lands, trying to reach for the overhead bin luggage, even if they are on the middle seat. “Please remain seated until the seat belt sign has been turned off.” They do say this for a reason every single time!
45.) Airplane clappers (those who clap when the plane lands).
46.) Airplane recliners when food is served. Or even if its only a 40 minute flight. They do it all the time, not because they want to sleep but just because.
47.) Armrest hoggers.
Pet peeves at work
On the first day at work, we hope we’ll get to know and like our coworkers. Some will get there in time; others will just have long, long lists of office pet peeves!
The things that drive us crazy at work! As if waking up to an alarm every morning and spending an hour in traffic before getting to work is not enough! Here are just some of our favorite office pet peeves!
48.) When people drop by your office to ask you to do things for them and end the request with an “I hope you’re not busy!”. Well, of course not! I’m at work, how could I be busy? Just sitting here, waiting for an opportunity to do something for someone; thanks for dropping by!
49.) People dropping by to ask something and leaving with a pencil or something else from your desk after fidgeting with it. Just put it back!
50.) People coming to work sick, being visible that they are sick and them mentioning they are sick. I mean, are they handing out a badge of honor for this? Because we think you just don’t want to be home with your wife and kids for more than a few hours daily. Just stay home!
51.) Hot summer days and colleagues turning off the air-con because they fear they might catch a cold. No, you won’t.
52.) People setting up meetings for what could have been easily sorted by mail.
53.) Colleagues talking about how unpleasant their mother-in-law is when you barely know them and have no idea about their family situation (and you don’t even care too much…).
54.) Colleagues dropping by your desk saying, “Can I have just a quick look at something?” and then just getting on your computer. No. That’s a hard no.
Funny pet peeves
They would be funny, if they wouldn’t be so annoying! For entertainment purposes only, we prepared a list with the funniest pet peeves ever. And if you don’t find them funny, don’t worry, we understand. Often, it’s people around who laugh at us when this happens!
55.) Finding a piece of clothing you know you’ll love and wear till the day you die, but it’s not available in your size.
56.) Not being able to go round a slow walker.
57.) Drivers speeding up when you’re overtaking them. This should be illegal.
58.) People whispering in your ear. Especially if it’s something that is not meant to be a secret.
59.) People sneezing with food in their mouths. Very close to you.
60.) People you don’t know very well telling you their dirty little secrets and then saying, “Don’t tell anyone.” So, what should I do with this bit of info, then?
61.) Spoilers.
62.) People who say, “No spoilers, please.”
More humorous deal breakers
63.) People who talk about their latest holiday in great detail (what they had for breakfast each day, how was the bed linen in the room, water temperature, and so on) for the whole duration of a meal, and asking “How you’ve been?” just before getting the check.
64.) Waiters in restaurants who seem to be annoyed with your requests. God knows what you’re going to be eating there.
65.) People staying in line after paying for their stuff just to take out the phone or look for something in the bag. For a full 5 minutes.
66.) Having no coffee in the house in the morning.
67.) Having no milk in the fridge Saturday morning.
68.) Friends calling at 8 am on the weekend.
69.) Friends with children (if you don’t have children).
70.) Friends without children (if you do have children).
71.) Tantrums in planes. It could be children or a girlfriend. Just save it until we land.
The biggest deal breakers
Minor annoyances with a huge potential to ruin our day, our week, our relationship, and our friendships—these are some of the biggest pet peeves ever!
72.) That person who is always volunteering for new projects, to do the coffee run, to bring paper for the printer, etc. Your enthusiasm is exhausting.
73.) People not washing their hands after using the toilet, especially in restaurants.
74.) Those friends who want to get you into their new MLM scheme and keep talking about it until you feel there is nothing left of the person you used to know. And it’s frustrating because you keep thinking maybe they are still there, they are still aware, so you can’t roll your eyes at them in a too visible manner.
75.) Seeing someone on the street or in a public place, calling them, so you don’t yell, seeing them checking their phone and putting it down. I CAN SEE YOU!
More of the worst offenders
76.) Day-old dishes that are left in the sink with leftovers in them.
77.) Folding laundry.
78.) When the toilet paper is put on the roll the wrong way.
79.) No hot water in the morning.
80.) Cold coffee.
81.) People explaining to you how to do something when it’s obvious they have no idea.
82.) People asking for directions.
83.) Trying to get your kids to eat something you know they’ll absolutely love, but they refuse to take even a small bite.
84.) People who know exactly what they want to order at Starbucks. I mean, what kind of people know the meaning of tall, grande, and venti by heart?
85.) People who still don’t know what they want to order after browsing the menu five times. Well, just throw a dart at it and pick something already!
86.) People asking your opinion, telling you how their life is depending on it just to say to you “Nah, this is stupid” five minutes later.
So, what are your pet peeves and how do you deal with them? A good rule of thumb for pet peeves that involve others is to just grin and bear it. You don’t know what challenges people are facing in their everyday life. And remember that you can always vent about your pet peeves in a long blog post!
By Anne Matea | Published 3/25/2021
With a Master’s degree in Management and Communication in Business, a BA in Written Press and over two decades of experience writing content for the digital world, Anne loves to play (with words) and create content that is fun and engaging.
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