annoying
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does annoying mean? Annoying is an adjective that’s used to describe someone or something that annoys you—bothers or irritates you. The word implies that the resulting irritation does not rise to the level of serious harm or a major problem—even if someone or something is extremely annoying. People who are annoying are usually engaging in some kind of irritating and unwanted behavior (especially when it’s repeated), such as chewing too loudly or asking you the same question over and over again. Things that are annoying are often those that distract, interrupt, or intrude on what you’re trying to do, like a noise that keeps waking you up when you’re trying to fall asleep or a pop-up ad. Someone or something that’s annoying can be called an annoyance. The adjective annoyed is used to describe someone who is bothered in this way. Example: Mom, Jeff is being so annoying! He keeps humming!
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of annoying
Explanation
Something that's annoying is upsetting or irritating or otherwise troublesome. When your mom asks you ten times in a row when you're going to clean your room, she's being annoying. But your messy room might also be annoying! Annoying really is a tiresome word, as its roots imply: it comes from the old French word anuier, meaning "to weary or vex," and from the Latin inodiare, meaning — even worse — "to make loathsome." Think about that next time you do something annoying. And don't forget, it's easy to be annoying without even knowing it, as Mark Twain understood when he said, “There is nothing so annoying as to have two people talking when you're busy interrupting.”
Vocabulary lists containing annoying
List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Small Steps
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What started off as a few annoying emails became a pattern of escalation, which suggests she was testing the waters to see how far she could go.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
Perhaps not in the key some of us wanted to hear but then, some folks find mockingbirds annoying, too.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Won’t it be teeth-grindingly annoying, at best, if more people start parading their green virtues?
From Slate • May 15, 2026
Typing is being replaced by whispering, and it’s way more annoying.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
He waves his hand, like he’s shooing an annoying fly.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
