noun
annoyance
uh-NOY-uns/əˈnɔɪəns/
Mild anger at something troublesome.
The woman's furrowed brow shows her annoyance at the dripping tap.
Etymology
From a verb meaning to trouble or vex, the noun names both the irritation felt and whatever provokes it. The feeling and its cause thus share one name.
In context
marcella abandoning her annoyance at teodoro and ignoring his very obvious character flaws
More examples
- The dripping tap is a constant annoyance.
- To his annoyance, the printer jams halfway through the job.
- Small annoyances become harder to ignore when we are tired.
Forms
annoyance · annoyances
Similar words
- irritation
- Very close in feeling, sometimes suggesting a sharper immediate response.
- nuisance
- Usually names the troublesome cause rather than the feeling itself.