What does annoy mean?
To annoy is to irritate or trouble someone through small, persistent disturbances rather than serious harm. A dripping tap, a chatty seatmate, or a slow internet connection can each be said to annoy. The verb is transitive — one person or thing annoys another — and it very frequently appears in the passive form 'be annoyed', one of the most common ways English speakers express everyday displeasure. Its connotations are mild: annoyance sits below anger on the emotional scale, describing a state of being bothered, vexed, or put out. The word derives from the Old French 'anoier', ultimately rooted in the Latin phrase 'in odio esse', meaning 'to be in hatred', which makes it a distant cousin of 'ennui'. Related forms are common in daily speech: 'annoyance' names both the feeling and its cause, while 'annoying' describes whatever provokes it. Because it captures such a frequent human experience with precise, moderate force, 'annoy' is among the most useful verbs for describing everyday friction.
verbTo irritate or vex someone with repeated minor troubles or persistent disturbance, causing discomfort or displeasure without serious harm.
- To irritate or disturb someone mildly but persistently.
- (Archaic) To harass or harm someone deliberately.
"The constant tapping of his pen began to annoy everyone in the meeting."
"The neighbour's barking dog annoyed her all through the night."
"He was annoyed to find that his reservation had been cancelled without notice."
In medieval English law, 'annoy' wasn't just a feeling — it was a noun, a formal legal term for a nuisance you could actually be sued over.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of annoy
Annoy entered Middle English in the thirteenth century from the Old French 'anoier', derived from the Vulgar Latin phrase 'inodiare', itself built on 'in odio esse' — literally 'to be in hatred'. The same Latin root produced the French 'ennui', making the words etymological siblings despite their divergent meanings. Originally it could mean to harass or harm outright, even in military contexts, before narrowing over the centuries to today's milder sense of persistent irritation.
Related word forms
How annoy is actually used
Annoy is typically used transitively and often appears in passive constructions ('I'm annoyed'). It implies mild, cumulative irritation rather than anger; for stronger reactions, words like 'infuriate' or 'enrage' are preferred. Speakers say 'annoyed with' a person and 'annoyed at' or 'annoyed by' a thing or situation.
Easily confused with annoy
"Aggravate" formally means to make a problem or injury worse, though informally it is often used interchangeably with annoy to mean irritate.