annoy

verb

an·​noy ə-ˈnȯi How to pronounce annoy (audio)
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
annoyer noun
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 Which things that other people thought were funny actually annoyed them. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2024 But keeping up the walking paths and pool, and the upcoming need to dredge the lake, means homeowners association fees are on the rise, which has annoyed some residents. Barbara Ruben, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 But having to provide this kind of detailed feedback for every model response is time-consuming and would likely annoy users. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 And then, something crucial happened that annoyed her at the time. Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 12 Feb. 2024 As a consequence, her exposure to black radio audiences has been severely limited, a situation that clearly annoys her. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2024 As a bonus, there’s no downtime, annoying growing-out period or risk of ingrown hairs. Stepfanie Romine, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2024 Continue reading here… GENERATION GAP - Millennial Dakota Johnson is annoyed by her Gen Z co-stars, including Sydney Sweeney. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 17 Feb. 2024 Needle drops deployed on the soundtrack are aggressively generic, serving to annoy rather than complement a sequence’s energy. Courtney Howard, Variety, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'annoy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near annoy

Cite this Entry

“Annoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annoy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

annoy

verb
an·​noy ə-ˈnȯi How to pronounce annoy (audio)
: to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts : vex
annoyer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on annoy

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