Meaning & use

annoy

verb·Everyday

To cause mild anger or irritation in someone, often through repeated or persistent behavior.

See it in a sentence

The constant beeping of the smoke alarm began to annoy everyone in the house.

It annoys me when people talk loudly on their phones in quiet public spaces.

A note on using this word

Annoy describes a relatively mild, everyday irritation, weaker than stronger words like 'infuriate' or 'enrage.'

Words with a similar meaning

irritatebother

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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