nuisance

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A person, thing or situation that annoys you or causes small problems.

   Grammar: Takes a/an: a nuisance; what a nuisance.

   Patterns

   • a nuisance to someone
   • be a nuisance

   It's a nuisance having to renew the permit every year.

   The barking dog is a real nuisance to the neighbors.

   Sorry to be a nuisance, but could you move your car?

2. 2nouncountable or uncountablelegal

   An act or condition that unreasonably disturbs people's use of their property, which can be punished by law.

   Grammar: Legal use; often in public nuisance.

   Patterns

   • public nuisance
   • create a nuisance

   The factory was ordered to stop the smoke, which was a public nuisance.

   Loud parties can count as a nuisance under local law.

   Neighbors sued over the nuisance of constant noise.

Word forms

Common combinations

public nuisance

Littering is treated as a public nuisance.

make a nuisance of yourself

He made a nuisance of himself at the party.

a real nuisance

Traffic jams are a real nuisance.

nuisance call

I got a nuisance call this morning.

cause a nuisance

Roadworks cause a nuisance to drivers.

Synonyms and how they differ

pest

Pest usually refers to a person or animal, while nuisance can be a thing or situation.

annoyance

Annoyance is the feeling or its cause, while nuisance often points to something repeatedly bothersome.

bother

Bother is lighter and often a mild trouble, whereas nuisance is a bit stronger.

hassle

Hassle is more informal and suggests effort or difficulty.

Opposites

Word family

nuisance call noun

an unwanted phone call

nuisance value noun

importance based on the trouble something can cause

nuisance tax noun

a small tax that is annoying to pay

Commonly confused: nuisance or nuance?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “nuisance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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