Definition of nuisance
- My allergies are a nuisance in the springtime.
- Weeds are a nuisance to the gardener.
the new neighbor is threatening to become a nuisance, dropping in on us several times a day
folding up this map correctly is such a nuisance
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nuisance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nuisance is a fine example of a word that has taken on a weakened meaning. It has been in use in English since the 15th century, and for much of that time signified "harm" or "injury" rather than mere "annoyance" (the word came into our language from French, but it can be traced back to the Latin nocēre, meaning “to harm”). In the early 19th century nuisance began to see considerable use in reference to people or things that were obnoxious rather than injurious, and that meaning has become the prevalent one. We retain evidence of the word’s earlier "harm" sense, however, in the legal term attractive nuisance, which refers to an enticing thing or condition (such as an unattended ladder leaning against a house) that might attract a child and cause them injury.
First Known Use: 15th century
in the meaning defined at sense 1
See Words from the same yearaggravation, annoyance, bother, bugbear, exasperation, frustration, hassle, headache, inconvenience, irk, irritant, peeve, pest, rub, ruffle, thorn, trial, vexation;
discomfort, fleabite, pinprick;
affront, insult, offense (or offence);
affliction, albatross, burden, cross, curse, menace, millstone, plague, sore;
anxiety, plight, predicament, tribulation, trouble;
: a person, thing, or situation that is annoying or that causes trouble or problems
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for nuisance Spanish Central: Translation of nuisance Nglish: Translation of nuisance for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of nuisance for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nuisance
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