pique

noun
UK: /piːk/
US: /piːk/

  1. A feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride.

    1. Her pique was obvious after she lost.
    2. In a fit of pique, he stormed out of the meeting, slamming the door.

Synonyms

resentment irritation annoyance vexation offend irk excite arouse provoke stimulate
pique verb

  1. To stimulate interest or curiosity.

    1. The ad should pique your interest.
    2. The unusual exhibition is sure to pique the curiosity of art lovers.

  2. To cause someone to feel resentment or irritation.

    1. His constant boasting began to pique me.
    2. She was piqued by his dismissive attitude towards her suggestion.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "pique" is /piːk/ in British English and /piːk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pique": resentment, irritation, annoyance, vexation, offend, irk, excite, arouse, provoke, stimulate.

Example usage of "pique": "Her pique was obvious after she lost.". More examples on the page.