noun
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the feeling of being annoyed
-
the act of annoying
-
a person or thing that annoys
Usage
What does annoyance mean? An annoyance is someone or something that annoys—bothers or irritates. Annoyance can also refer to the feeling of being annoyed, the act of annoying, or an instance in which someone or something is annoying. 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 annoys you very much. An annoyance usually consists of some kind of irritating and unwanted behavior (especially when it’s repeated), such as someone chewing too loudly or asking you the same question over and over again. Things that are annoyances 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. The word is sometimes used to contrast with something considered a serious problem, as in It’s no big deal—just a minor annoyance. Someone who is bothered in this way can be described as annoyed. Someone or something that annoys you can be described as annoying. Example: I know all this paperwork is an annoyance, but just try to get through it as quickly as you can.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of annoyance
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French; annoy + -ance
Explanation
A feeling of being extremely irritated or exasperated is annoyance. Your neighbor's annoyance is completely justified if you've been letting your dog bark for hours in the back yard. You can describe the general state of being annoyed as annoyance, and it's also a good word for the thing (or person) that's annoying you. While your neighbor may refer to your dog as "that annoyance next door," from your perspective it's your neighbor who's the annoyance, constantly scolding you about your barking dog. The Latin root of annoyance is (esse) in odio, "(it is to me) hateful."
Vocabulary lists containing annoyance
List 1
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"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 5
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List 5
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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.
See Examples For:
The new era of in-flight connectivity is here, and with it, a new era of in-flight annoyance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
But because this is within your budget, I’d say that if this friendship is important to you, put your feelings of annoyance aside and attend.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
For Logan, it was a great start to the season — though his annoyance with Centennial’s offensive penalties was palpable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
A lot of the noise before the tournament was about the prospect of extreme weather causing delays but, with that yet to happen, the annoyance has come from elsewhere.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
“If my masters were to complain about the annoyance caused by his soldier...” the woman said, drawing herself up to her fullest height to gaze directly into his eyes.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
He’s found a workaround for other annoyances: Sticking pieces of tape to the display so he can find critical buttons by touching them, instead of looking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
They raised their kids in the Bowl and sometimes bickered over politics and annoyances, as any proper family does.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2025
With many V.R. headsets I’ve tried — and I’ve tried a lot — the initial novelty fades, and minor annoyances, like blurry graphics or a lack of compelling apps, start to pile up.
From New York Times ● Jan. 31, 2024
Because snoring has likely been around throughout humanity's existence, it is tempting to dismiss these sounds as mere annoyances.
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2024
Apart from these annoyances, I wasn’t too unhappy.
From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus
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.
