an·nu·al
ˈan-yə(-wə)l 
-yü-əl
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
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
Hannah Pinski, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
The recognition places Atlas among the most notable technology debuts at the annual consumer electronics event, concluding on Friday, and signals growing confidence in humanoid robots moving from demos to real industrial work.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 7 Jan. 2026
Remove and destroy all infected plant parts and debris from infected vegetables, annuals, and perennials when cleaning up as early in fall as possible.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annual
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Adjective
An annual trapping license is $20 for a resident and $130 for a nonresident.
—Hannah Pinski, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
The recognition places Atlas among the most notable technology debuts at the annual consumer electronics event, concluding on Friday, and signals growing confidence in humanoid robots moving from demos to real industrial work.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
In colder areas, poinsettias can be cultivated as annuals or kept indoors as houseplants.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 7 Jan. 2026
Remove and destroy all infected plant parts and debris from infected vegetables, annuals, and perennials when cleaning up as early in fall as possible.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annual
Cite this Entry
“Annual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annual. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
annual
1 of 2 adjective
an·nu·al
ˈan-y(ə-w)əl
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
adverb
-ē
annual
2 of 2 noun1
: 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"
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