annual

1 of 2

adjective

an·​nu·​al ˈan-yə(-wə)l How to pronounce annual (audio)
-yü-əl
Synonyms of annual
1
: covering the period of a year
annual rainfall
annual income
2
: occurring or happening every year or once a year : yearly
an annual reunion
an annual physical checkup
3
: completing the life cycle in one growing season or single year
annual plants

annual

2 of 2

noun

1
: an event that occurs yearly
2
: a publication appearing yearly
the high-school annual
3
: something that lasts one year or season
specifically : a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season

Examples of annual in a Sentence

Adjective The annual meeting is in July. The company's earnings for last year are published in the annual report. We had more snow this year than the average annual amount. The company charges an annual fee of $45. Noun We planted some annuals in front of the house.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Being on the fringes of the MVP tier as an annual 100-point pace threat while being paid just $8 million for a long time will have that effect. — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026 There are also annual membership options, as adults can pay $300 for the year, seniors pay $200 and youngsters pay $75. — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Noun
For tired flowering annuals, a more substantial mid-season trim can be rejuvenating and help extend the growing period. — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 22 July 2026 Deadheading Every Plant While deadheading is beneficial for certain plants like petunias, many modern annuals are self-cleaning. — Shagun Khare, Martha Stewart, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for annual

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French annuel, from Late Latin annualis, blend of Latin annuus yearly (from annus year) and Latin annalis yearly (from annus year); probably akin to Goth athnam (dative plural) years, Sanskrit atati he walks, goes

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of annual was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing annual

Rhymes for annual

See All Rhymes for annual

Browse Nearby Words

annoying
annual
annual bluegrass
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Annual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annual. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

annual

1 of 2 adjective
an·​nu·​al ˈan-y(ə-w)əl How to pronounce annual (audio)
1
: covering the period of a year
annual rainfall
2
: occurring or performed once a year : yearly
an annual meeting
3
: completing the life cycle in one growing season or single year
annual plants
annually
-ē
adverb

annual

2 of 2 noun
1
: a publication appearing yearly
2
: an annual plant
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English annual "for a year," from early French annuel and Latin annualis (both, same meaning), derived from Latin annus "year"

More from Merriam-Webster on annual

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for annual

Nglish: Translation of annual for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about annual

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