Definition

1. Verb:
   • To cause mild anger, irritation, or persistent discomfort to someone, typically through repeated or bothersome actions.
   • To disturb or bother someone, especially with minor but persistent irritations.

Usage

The verb "annoy" is used to describe the action of making someone feel slightly angry or impatient. It often implies a repeated or continuing source of irritation rather than a single, serious offense. It is commonly used in both active and passive constructions.

Examples

• Active Voice:
  • The constant noise from the construction site annoyed the residents.
  • Please stop tapping your pen; it annoys me when I'm trying to concentrate.
• Passive Voice:
  • She was annoyed by his habit of interrupting.
  • I am easily annoyed by loud chewing sounds.

Advanced Usage

• "to be annoyed at/by/with": This structure specifies the cause or target of the annoyance.
  • He was annoyed at the constant delays. (The cause is a situation.)
  • She is annoyed with her brother for borrowing her things. (The target is a person.)
  • We were annoyed by the inaccurate report. (The cause is a thing or event.)

Variants and Related Words

• Annoyance (n): The feeling of being annoyed, or the thing that causes this feeling.
  • The loud music was a major annoyance.
• Annoying (adj): Causing annoyance; irritating.
  • His annoying habit of whistling drove everyone crazy.

Synonyms

• Irritate: To provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure.
• Bother: To cause trouble or annoyance to.
• Vex: To annoy, disturb, or frustrate (slightly more formal or literary).
• Pester: To annoy persistently.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Annoy" itself is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. The meaning is typically expressed by the verb alone or with prepositions as shown in "Advanced Usage.")

Related Idioms

• "To get on someone's nerves": To annoy someone greatly.
  • His constant complaining really gets on my nerves.
• "To be a pain in the neck": To be very annoying or troublesome (informal).
  • Filling out all these forms is a pain in the neck.

Verb

1. cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
   • Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me
   • It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves