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definitions

annoying

[ uh-noi-ing ]
/ əˈnɔɪ ɪŋ /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR annoying ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing annoyance; irritatingly bothersome: annoying delays.

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RELATED WORDS

disturbing, troublesome, irritating, bothersome, aggravating, vexatious

Nearby words

  1. announcement,
  2. announcer,
  3. annoy,
  4. annoyance,
  5. annoyed,
  6. annual,
  7. annual general meeting,
  8. annual parallax,
  9. annual percentage rate,
  10. annual report

Origin of annoying

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at annoy, -ing2
Related forms

annoy

[ uh-noi ]
/ əˈnɔɪ /

verb (used with object)

to disturb or bother (a person) in a way that displeases, troubles, or slightly irritates.
to molest; harm.

verb (used without object)

to be bothersome or troublesome.

noun

Archaic. an annoyance.

Origin of annoy

1250–1300; (v.) Middle English an(n)oien, enoien < Anglo-French, Old French anoier, anuier to molest, harm, tire < Late Latin inodiāre to cause aversion, from Latin phrase mihi in odiō est … I dislike …; cf. in-2, odium, ennui, noisome; (noun) Middle English a(n)noi, ennoi < Anglo-French, Old French a(n)nui, etc., derivative of the v.
ANTONYMS FOR annoy
1. comfort, calm, soothe.
SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR annoy ON THESAURUS.COM
Related formsan·noy·er, nounhalf-an·noyed, adjectiveun·an·noyed, adjective
Can be confusedaggravate annoy irritate

Synonym study

1. See bother, worry.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for annoying

British Dictionary definitions for annoying

annoying

/ (əˈnɔɪɪŋ) /

adjective

causing irritation or displeasure
Derived Formsannoyingly, adverb

annoy

/ (əˈnɔɪ) /

verb

to irritate or displease
to harass with repeated attacks
Derived Formsannoyer, noun

Word Origin for annoy

C13: from Old French anoier, from Late Latin inodiāre to make hateful, from Latin in odiō (esse) (to be) hated, from odium hatred
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for annoying

annoy

v.

late 13c., from Anglo-French anuier, Old French enoiier, anuier "to weary, vex, anger; be troublesome or irksome to," from Late Latin inodiare "make loathsome," from Latin (esse) in odio "(it is to me) hateful," ablative of odium "hatred" (see odium). Earliest form of the word in English was as a noun, c.1200, "feeling of irritation, displeasure, distaste." Related: Annoyed; annoying; annoyingly. Middle English also had annoyful and annoyous (both late 14c.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper