<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-09-08</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001054298</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ASK JEEVES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ASKJ</issuerTradingSymbol>
</issuer>
<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001219371</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PINKUS CLAUDIO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5858 HORTON STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 350</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EMERYVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94608</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Former Chief Strategy Officer</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText>
</reportingOwnerRelationship>
</reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeTable>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>20000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>20.06</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>39817</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>100000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>1.21</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>139817</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>100000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>20.065</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>39817</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeTransaction>
</nonDerivativeTable>
<derivativeTable>
<derivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>1.21</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</transactionDate>
<deemedExecutionDate>
<value>2003-09-08</value>
</deemedExecutionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value>E</value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>100000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>0.00</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2003-04-01</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2012-05-10</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>100000</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeTransaction>
</derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">This transaction was effected pursuant to a 10b5-1 sales plan adopted by the reporting person.  The automatic sale component of this transaction was previously reported as a planned sale on a Form 144 filed by (or on behalf of) the reporting person.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">Options vest over four years with 25% vesting on April 1, 2003 and the balance vesting in equal monthly installments over the subsequent thirty-six month period.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Brett Robertson, Attorney-in-fact for Claudio Pinkus</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-09-08</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

