Interrupting, Slurping and One-Upping—Sound Familiar?! 75 Pet Peeves That Are Insanely Annoying

We all have a pet peeve—or two or three or four. Maybe it's that one friend who always wants to split the check equally or simply observing bad manners, but every one of us has a unique set of pet peeves that makes us want to scream.

Not sure what yours are? Keep reading our pet peeves list that is totally relatable!

Pet Peeves Meaning

What is a "pet peeve"? Dictionary.com defines a pet peeve as "a particular and often continual annoyance; personal bugbear: This train service is one of my pet peeves."

Some of the most common pet peeves have to do with noises you wish you didn't have to hear (like slurping), while other pet peeves examples have to do with being impacted by other people's decisions (like someone in your airplane row getting up to use the bathroom over and over again).

While some annoyances are fairly universal, others are definitely more personal. Either way, you'll likely agree with many of the biggest pet peeves listed here!

List of 75 Biggest Pet Peeves

1. Gum chewing

Like, the zealous kind. Relax and stop popping your gum like you're that neighborhood kid in The Incredibles. We could all benefit from virtually noiseless gum chewing.

2. Slurping loudly

Another food-related noise. Keep it chill, keep it quiet—even if you're eating soup.

3. People who hog the sidewalk

If you're going to walk so slowly, then you need to move all the way to the right. The left is a passing lane, am I right?!

4. Spitting

Spitting on the sidewalk, on the ground or out the car window to be "cool"... It's just never cute.

5. People who cut you in line

No thank you, Karen. I was here first.

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6. Other miscellaneous chewing noises

Granted, this one can't always be helped, but still! Also, while we're at it, don't talk with your mouth full.

7. Tapping

The sound of tapping fingers or a tapping pen can be so distracting. Especially in a classroom or at work.

8. Pen-clicking

Another one often associated with school or the office, frequent pen-clicking can be self-stimulating for the one doing it—but can also drive others a little crazy.

9. Being on the phone in public

Checking out at a store? Walking through a public place? No one wants to hear your entire phone conversation. Also, no one wants to be ignored while you send a text, either.

10. The scrape of silverware

Eek! The merciless sound of a person who scrapes their silverware against the top of their teeth as they pull the fork away? That's the stuff of actual nightmares.

11. Nails on a chalkboard

The sound of nails on a chalkboard is more than a pet peeve, really; it should be an actual crime.

12. Leaving the lights on

If you're not in the room, turn the freakin' light off.

13. Leaving cabinet doors open

PSA: The closet or cabinet doors are not meant to be left open. Neither are refrigerator doors. Open 'em? Then shut 'em.

14. Not replacing the toilet paper

Um, is this some kind of April Fools joke? If you finished the TP roll, then you best believe it's your responsibility to replace it with a new one.

15. Sharing a car and leaving the gas on empty

Again, if you took her out for a spin, then it's totally your job to make sure the car is gassed up. No one wants to be the next person to sit in the driver's seat only to realize the car's on E.

16. Pet hair all over clothes, floor or furniture

Pet hair is fine on, you know, the animal, but once it starts attaching itself to black leggings, the couch, and the car upholstery, well, your friends and family might not want to sit down until you give it a good clean.

17. Throat clearing

Who are you, Dolores Umbridge? (More Harry Potter quotes here.)

18. Frequent coughing

You alright? You OK? Better get that frequent cough checked...

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19. Phone alarms going off at work

Hell hath no fury like an employee who has to sit through their co-worker's loud alarm that goes off the same time every day. Why do I have to keep hearing it?

20. Rushing to the front of the plane as it lands

OK, giving the benefit of the doubt, you might have a connecting flight. But promise you, you're not the only one. Wait your turn like everyone else and we'll all get off the plane eventually.

21. Not pausing the TV when talking

Who can hear two things at once?!

22. People who text in the movie theater

It's 2022. Turn your phone off in the theater.

23. Crowding the boarding gate

Airport faux pas just hit differently. Don't give into peer pressure and board the gate. We're all getting on the same plane!

24. The person who can't stop going to the bathroom on a plane

Granted, we understand how frustrating this must be for the person, too...But why did you pick the window seat if you're going to get up to use the bathroom on four separate occasions during a three-hour flight? WHY?

25. Lack of an Oxford comma

Justice for the Oxford comma!

26. People who are one-uppers

You know the type. One-uppers are the people who always have a story that takes the last thing said to another level. They can always one-up you, no matter the category.

27. Knuckle-cracking

Just please do it in the privacy of your own home because I don't want to hear it.

28. Saying "kk" in real life

Life is not a text message.

29. Bad grammar

Doesn't matter if it's bad grammar in an email, in an article, in a text or in spoken word. Bad grammar can be a turn-off and a grade-A pet peeve.

30. The person who always relays it back to themselves

Potentially even worse than the one-upper is the person who always has a way of relating the conversation back to themselves. Different from one-upping, it's indicative of the person not listening and rather, just waiting for their turn to talk.

31. Picking of the nose

Like, really? It should go without saying but...we see you.

32. Use of the word "moist"

*Screams internally*

33. Talking about diet culture

What is this the early 2000s? Diet culture is canceled. Stop perpetuating it with harmful fodder.

34. Loud computer clackers

We all gotta type, but some of us do it louder than others...

35. The person on public transport who just lets the music play

Have you ever heard of headphones?

36. Buyers who are rude to personnel

Don't disrespect the employees. Just don't do it.

37. Not tipping 20 percent

Listen, unless your service is truly awful, then be a good tipper. It's the right thing to do.

38. The co-worker who's always asking others to cover

In some cases, it could be totally valid to have to take off of work all the time. But the co-worker who does it for shady reasons? Again and again and again? Please, get lost.

39. Clapping when a plane lands

I guess it's kinda cute and all but we really don't need to be doing this anymore.

40. Checking your smartwatch during an in-person conversation

Stopping the face-to-face convo with the person in front of you to look at your smartwatch instead? Disrespectful.

41. Nail-clipping in inappropriate places

Keep it in the bathroom.

42. People who can't apologize

Two words, dude: "I'm sorry." Now, you try.

43. Reclining on an airplane

Unless you're in first class, please refrain. Otherwise, you set off an entire chain of events that cannot be stopped.

44. Lack of boundaries in general

Ever meet a person for the first time and before you know it, they're sharing personal details that you'd never want to learn? Or someone who is constantly in your personal space? Something about a lack of boundaries is just mind-boggling.

45. Meetings that, well, could have been resolved over email

Nothing like sitting in a 45-minute meeting that could have easily been taken care of over the internet.

46. Drivers who don't use their turn signal

What do you think this is—a romper room?!

47. Interrupting

Shhhhhhh! Just wait. You'll get your turn soon enough.

48. Not pulling over for emergency services on the road

If there's an ambulance or some other kind of emergency service with its lights on and alarm blaring, you better pull the heck over. Immediately.

49. Bringing smelly meals to the office

Fish in the office microwave? Please, do us all a favor... refrain.

50. Slow drivers

*Angelina from Jersey Shore voice* Um, hello?!

51. Honkers

Relax! Aggressive honkers are the worst.

52. Men who consistently speak over women

In the words of Kamala Harris, "I'm speaking."

53. Co-workers who forget to turn their mic on during Zoom calls

It's been a few years now. Can we get it together on work video calls?

54. Technical difficulties of any kind

They're just always the worst. Let me turn it off and back on...again.

55. Obnoxiously loud yawning

We get it—we're tired, too.

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56. Always being late

Chronic tardiness is just oh so annoying.

57. Not feeling welcome at a gathering

Ever been to a party or a work event and there's a small number of people but hardly anyone says "hi" or introduces themselves? How rude.

58. Constantly canceled plans

Life happens—we get it. But if you always have last minute excuses, it just gets old.

59. Tailgating

Not like the kind that exclusively happens in a parking lot and usually includes alcoholic beverages. I mean, car-on-car tailgating that's not only rude, it's dangerous.

60. Lending someone something and they never return it

Yeah, you liked the book? Oh, good—it's not like I wanted it back or anything.

61. People who don't wash their hands after using the restroom

Here's to hoping there's hand sanitizer in their pocket or something. Jeez!

62. Roommates who don't clean up

If you don't live alone, then don't expect to do whatever you please. Pull your weight and clean up after yourself!

63. Wanting to split the bill equally when it's not really equal

Did they order four mimosas and suggest splitting the bill equally? Yeah, not cool.

64. Worse, someone who expects you to pay

Worse than splitting it right down the middle is the person who just automatically waits for you to take your wallet out first. It takes two to tango!

65. Hair stuck to the wall in the shower

It's fine if you'd rather do that than send all your rogue hairs down the drain but at least clean it up after you're done showering.

66. Microaggressions

Microaggressions aren't even a pet peeve, really; they can be straight-up harmful discrimination.

67. Confusing personality traits for astrological signs

Oh, yeah, you're a Sagittarius? Well, it doesn't give you an excuse to be a jerk.

68. People who talk to you while you're reading

I'm clearly reading. Can I help you?!

69. Unsolicited advice

Keep it to yourself.

70. Typos in emails

How can you take an email seriously if there's a typo? There's nothing worse than spotting one in your own email after it's already been sent!

71. Someone who doesn't flush the toilet

REALLY?! Like, this is the bare minimum, people!

72. Loading the dishwasher "incorrectly"

Do it right or don't do it at all.

73. The person who doesn't understand the difference between your and you're

It all comes back to grammar.

74. Having your name written or pronounced wrong

It's fine if it's one or two times, but at some point, they need to actually learn the correct way. Otherwise, it's just rude.

75. Seeing a close friend on social media without interacting with your posts

You watch all of my Stories, so where's the love?

Next up, 50 etiquette rules to live by.