Definition

1. Noun:
   • The feeling of being irritated or bothered: The psychological state of being mildly angry or impatient due to a repeated or persistent disturbance.
   • The act of causing such irritation: The action of troubling or annoying someone.
   • A source of such feelings: Something or someone that causes trouble, unhappiness, or mild anger.

Examples of Usage

• As a feeling:
  • His constant tapping was a source of great annoyance.
  • She tried to hide her annoyance at the repeated delays.
• As an action:
  • The annoyance of the neighbors with loud music led to a complaint.
• As a source:
  • The fly buzzing around the room was a minor annoyance.
  • For him, commuting in heavy traffic is a daily annoyance.

Advanced Usage

• "To one's annoyance": Used to indicate that something happened that irritated someone.
  • To her annoyance, the meeting started half an hour late.
• "Cause annoyance": To be the reason for irritation.
  • Litter in the park causes annoyance to many residents.

Variants and Related Words

• Annoy (verb): To disturb or irritate someone.
  • The loud construction noise began to annoy the office workers.
• Annoying (adjective): Causing irritation or annoyance.
  • He has an annoying habit of interrupting people.
• Annoyed (adjective): Feeling or showing irritation.
  • She was annoyed by the lack of communication.

Synonyms

• Irritation: The state of being annoyed or the thing that causes it.
• Nuisance: A person, thing, or circumstance causing inconvenience or annoyance.
• Bother: Something that causes trouble or minor annoyance.
• Vexation: The state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried.

Related Phrases

• A thorn in one's side: A persistent source of annoyance.
  • The ongoing software bug was a thorn in the developer's side.
• Wear on someone: To gradually cause annoyance or fatigue.
  • The constant negativity began to wear on her.

Notes on Meaning

The word annoyance describes a range from mild irritation to more persistent frustration. It is less intense than anger or rage. It often refers to repeated minor disturbances rather than a single major event.

Noun

1. the act of troubling or annoying someone
2. something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness
   • washing dishes was a nuisance before we got a dish washer
   • a bit of a bother
   • he's not a friend, he's an infliction
3. an unpleasant person who is annoying or exasperating
4. anger produced by some annoying irritation
5. the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed