Meanings
nounannoyance (countable and uncountable, plural annoyances)
plural annoyances · alternative obsolete annoyaunce · alternative obsolete annoying · alternative nonstandard annoyment
- countableThat which annoys.
Having to wait 45 minutes for the bus is a real annoyance, but it's the only way to get to work.
- countableAn act or instance of annoying.
- uncountableThe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated.
feeling mild annoyance
1 more example
‘I’m not annoyed with you,’ Lizzie said, putting a hand on Dimple’s shoulder. ‘Well, I am. But you’re my sister. So the annoyance is nothing new.’
2022, Candice Carty-Williams, People Person, Trapeze, page 273
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe psychological state of being irritated or annoyed
Broader
psychological statepsychological conditionmental state
nounan unpleasant person who is annoying or exasperating
Similar
Broader
unpleasant persondisagreeable person
nounsomething or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness
Broader
negative stimulus
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
- Proto-Italic*en
- Proto-Italic*en-
- Latinin-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃ed-
- Proto-Italic*odjom
- Latinodium
- Late Latininodiāre
- Old Frenchanoier
- Old Frenchanoiance
- Middle Englishanoyaunce
- Englishannoyance
Inherited from Middle English anoyaunce (rare form of noyaunce), from Old French anuiance, anoiance, from the verb anuier (“to cause problems”), equivalent to annoy + -ance. Compare French ennui.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ὄχλησις, ἀχθηδών
- ὄχλησις (ókhlēsis)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- ἀχθηδών (akhthēdṓn)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- ὄχλησις (ókhlēsis)an act or instance of annoying
- ὄχλησις (ókhlēsis)the psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Arabic إِزْعَاج
- إِزْعَاج (ʔizʕāj)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Bengali জ্বালাতন
- জ্বালাতন (jalatôn)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Bulgarian доса́да, раздразне́ние
- доса́да (dosáda)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- раздразне́ние (razdraznénie)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- дразне́не (draznéne)an act or instance of annoying
- закачане (zakačane)an act or instance of annoying
- раздразне́ние (razdraznénie)the psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Catalan molèstia
- molèstiathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Chinese Mandarin 煩惱 /烦恼
- 煩惱 /烦恼 (fánnǎo)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Czech zlost, zloba
- zlostthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- zlobathe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- rozmrzelostthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Danish irritationsmoment, irriterende handling
- irritationsmomentthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- irriterende handlingan act or instance of annoying
- irritationthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Dutch ergernis
- ergernisthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Esperanto agacaĵo, malagrablaĵo
- agacaĵothat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- malagrablaĵothat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Finnish riesa, kiusa
- riesathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- kiusathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- ärsyttäminenan act or instance of annoying
- harmitusthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- keljutusthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- kenkutusthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
French ennui, nuisance
- ennuithat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- nuisancethat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- ennuithe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
German Ärger, Ärgernis
- Ärgerthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- Ärgernisthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- Ärgeran act or instance of annoying
- Verärgerungthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- Verdrussthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Greek ενόχληση, ενόχληση
- ενόχληση (enóchlisi)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- ενόχληση (enóchlisi)an act or instance of annoying
- ενόχληση (enóchlisi)the psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Hebrew הֲצָקָה
- הֲצָקָה (hatsaká)an act or instance of annoying
Hungarian bosszúság
- bosszúságthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Italian annoiatura, seccatura
- annoiaturathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- seccaturathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- scocciaturathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- fastidiothat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- annoiamentoan act or instance of annoying
- irritazionean act or instance of annoying
- noiathe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- fastidiothe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- disturbothe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Japanese 迷惑
- 迷惑 (meiwaku)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Latin vexātiō, molestia
- vexātiōthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- molestiathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- vexātiōan act or instance of annoying
- molestiaan act or instance of annoying
- molestiathe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Māori kūrakuraku, whanowhanoā
- kūrakurakuthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- whanowhanoāthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Norwegian Bokmål irritasjon
- irritasjonthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
Polish denerwowanie, wnerwianie
- denerwowaniean act or instance of annoying
- wnerwianiean act or instance of annoying
- zdenerwowaniethe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- wnerwieniethe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Portuguese irritação, pedra no sapato
- irritaçãothat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- pedra no sapatothat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- irritaçãoan act or instance of annoying
- irritaçãothe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Romanian enervare
- enervarethe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Russian доса́да, неприя́тность
- доса́да (dosáda)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- неприя́тность (neprijátnostʹ)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- ньюснс (nʹjusns)that which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- надоеда́ние (nadojedánije)an act or instance of annoying
- раздраже́ние (razdražénije)the psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- раздражённость (razdražónnostʹ)the psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Spanish disgusto, irritación
- disgustothat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- irritaciónthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- latathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- molestiathat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- fastidioan act or instance of annoying
- enojothe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
- irritaciónthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Swahili kero
- keroan act or instance of annoying
Swedish irritationsmoment, irritation
- irritationsmomentthat which annoys and causes a status of annoyance
- irritationthe psychological state of being annoyed or irritated
Cite this entry
APA
annoyance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/annoyance
MLA
“annoyance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/annoyance. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “annoyance,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/annoyance.
Source: annoyance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.