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annoying

[uh-noi-ing]
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adjective
  1. causing annoyance; irritatingly bothersome: annoying delays.
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Origin of annoying

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at annoy, -ing2
Related formsan·noy·ing·ly, adverban·noy·ing·ness, nounhalf-an·noy·ing, adjectivehalf-an·noy·ing·ly, adverbun·an·noy·ing, adjectiveun·an·noy·ing·ly, adverb

annoy

[uh-noi]
verb (used with object)
  1. to disturb or bother (a person) in a way that displeases, troubles, or slightly irritates.
  2. to molest; harm.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to be bothersome or troublesome.
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noun
  1. Archaic. an annoyance.
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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.
Related formsan·noy·er, nounhalf-an·noyed, adjectiveun·an·noyed, adjective
Can be confusedaggravate annoy irritate

Synonyms

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1. harass, pester.

Synonym study

1. See bother, worry.

Antonyms

1. comfort, calm, soothe.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for annoying

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • When he had time to notice it, it amused him that he did not find it annoying.

    K

    Mary Roberts Rinehart

  • Isn't it annoying when one can't pick up the thread of a conversation?

  • I saw that Clara was bent on annoying her old enemy, and interposed.

    Wilfrid Cumbermede

    George MacDonald

  • The kindling of the fire seems to have been for the purpose of annoying the enemy.

    Y Gododin

    Aneurin

  • “Sir Peter has great faith in annoying and thwarting me,” she went on.

    The First Violin

    Jessie Fothergill

British Dictionary definitions for annoying

annoying

adjective
  1. causing irritation or displeasure
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Derived Formsannoyingly, adverb

annoy

verb
  1. to irritate or displease
  2. to harass with repeated attacks
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Derived Formsannoyer, noun

Word Origin

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.).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper