annoy [annoyannoysannoyedannoying] BrE [əˈnɔɪ] NAmE [əˈnɔɪ] verb 1. to make sb slightly angry Syn: ↑irritate •~ sb His constant joking was beginning to annoy her. •it annoys sb when… It really annoys me when people forget to say thank you. •I'm sure she does it just to annoy me. •~ sb to do sth It annoys me to see him getting ahead of me. 2.~ sb to make sb uncomfortable or unable to relax Syn: ↑bother • He swatted a fly that was annoying him. Verb forms:
Word Origin: Middle English (in the sense ‘be hateful to’): from Old French anoier (verb), anoi (noun), based on Latin in odio in the phrase mihi in odio est ‘it is hateful to me’.
Thesaurus: annoy verb •It really annoys me when people don't say thank you. irritate • • exasperate • • frustrate • • rile • |informal get on sb's nerves • • bug • |BrE, informal wind sb up • |formal displease • |taboo, slang piss sb off • It annoys me/irritates me/gets on my nerves/bugs me that/when… What annoys me/irritates me/frustrates me/riles me/gets on my nerves/bugs me/pisses me off is… really annoy sb/irritate sb/rile sb/get on sb's nerves/bug sb/wind sb up/piss sb off
Example Bank: •I only stay out late to annoy my parents. •The wasps were beginning to annoy me. •I'm sure she does it just to annoy me. •It annoys me to see him getting ahead of me.
