annoy
About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.
About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.an·noy
verb \ə-ˈnȯi\Definition of ANNOY
transitive verb
1
: to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts
2
: to harass especially by quick brief attacks
intransitive verb
: to cause annoyance
— an·noy·er noun
See Examples of ANNOY
- <deliberately annoyed the elderly neighbor by walking across his lawn>
Origin of ANNOY
Middle English anoien, from Anglo-French anuier, ennoier, from Late Latin inodiare to make loathsome, from Latin in + odium hatred — more at odium
First Known Use: 13th century
Related to ANNOY
Synonym Discussion of ANNOY
annoy, vex, irk, bother mean to upset a person's composure. annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness <their constant complaining annoys us>. vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety <vexed by her son's failure to clean his room>. irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit <careless waste irks the boss>. bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind <don't bother me while I'm reading>.
Rhymes with ANNOY
ahoy, alloy, bad boy, ball boy, batboy, B-boy, beachboy, bellboy, bell buoy, best boy, big boy, bok choy, borzoi, boy toy, busboy, callboy, carboy, charpoy, choirboy, convoy, cowboy, decoy, deploy, destroy, doughboy, employ, enjoy, envoy, flyboy, footboy, Hanoi, hautbois, highboy, homeboy, houseboy, killjoy, Khoikhoi, life buoy, linkboy, lowboy, McCoy, newsboy, old boy, page boy, playboy, plowboy, po'boy, postboy, potboy, Quemoy, Rob Roy, Saint Croix, Savoy, schoolboy, sepoy, stock boy, tallboy, tatsoi, teapoy, Tolstoy, tomboy, travois, viceroy
Learn More About ANNOY
Browse
Seen & Heard 
What made you want to look up annoy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
