Meaning & use
annoyance
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Meanings
noununcountable
A mild feeling of anger caused by something that bothers you.
Grammar: Used without a: she showed annoyance; with to or at for the cause: much to my annoyance.
Patterns
- to someone's annoyance
- annoyance at something
He sighed in annoyance when the printer jammed again.
Much to her annoyance, the train was late.
There was a flash of annoyance on his face.
nouncountable
A person or thing that regularly irritates you.
Grammar: Takes an or plural: a small annoyance, daily annoyances.
Patterns
- a minor annoyance
- an annoyance to someone
Loud neighbors are a constant annoyance.
The slow website was a minor annoyance.
Traffic noise is one of the annoyances of city life.
Word forms
| plural | annoyances |
|---|
Common combinations
- mild annoyance
- She felt only mild annoyance at the delay.
- to someone's annoyance
- To his annoyance, the shop had closed.
- minor annoyance
- The squeaky chair is a minor annoyance.
- express annoyance
- He expressed annoyance at the late notice.
- source of annoyance
- Dripping taps are a source of annoyance.
- in annoyance
- She tutted in annoyance.
Synonyms and how they differ
- irritation
- Irritation is nearly the same but can feel slightly sharper or more physical, as in an irritation of the skin.
- nuisance
- Nuisance mostly names the thing or person causing trouble, not the feeling it causes.
- vexation
- Vexation is more formal and suggests being worried or troubled as well as annoyed.
- irk
- Irk is a verb, while annoyance is the noun for the feeling it produces.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: annoyance or anger?
annoyance vs anger
Anger is a stronger, deeper feeling; annoyance is a smaller, passing irritation.
Practice
Much to her ___, the meeting ran an hour late.
Choose one answer.
After much to her, a noun is needed, and annoyance is the noun. Annoyed and annoying are adjectives.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “annoyance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.