annoy

verb

an·​noy ə-ˈnȯi 

annoyed; annoying; annoys

transitive verb

1

: to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts

annoyed the neighbors with their loud arguments

2

: to harass especially by quick brief attacks

intransitive verb

: to cause annoyance

annoyer noun

Synonyms of annoy

• irritate
• bother
• bug
• persecute
• aggravate

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

synonyms see in addition worry

Examples of annoy in a Sentence

deliberately annoyed the elderly neighbor by walking across his lawn

Recent Examples on the Web

Studio executives who annoyed her might find their films receiving tepid coverage. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 Oct. 2026

The Biden administration also had a commitment to AI safety that annoyed AI companies. — Nina Verdelli, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026

Alan Cumming, please tell me if you were actually annoyed with Victor in that moment. — Alice Burton, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

That was the question that annoyed Steinbrenner, who is backing a system that would strip his team of a financial advantage while falling in line with other billionaire ballclub owners, who tend to vote as a unified bloc. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for annoy

• ahoy
• alloy
• carboy
• convoy
• cowboy
• decoy
• deploy
• destroy
• employ
• employe
• enjoy
• kilroy

Kids Definition

annoy

verb

an·​noy ə-ˈnȯi 

: to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts : vex

annoyer noun