annoyed

annoyed — adjective

1. feeling a small but real amount of anger because something or someone has bother

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling a small but real amount of anger because something or someone has bothered you, usually about a minor problem rather than a serious one.

Example

Zara was annoyed with her sister for borrowing her bike without asking.

annoyed with + person + for + -ing

Yusuf felt annoyed about the long wait at the doctor's office.

annoyed about + noun (cause)

Common collocations
  • slightly annoyed
  • a bit annoyed
  • really annoyed
  • get annoyed
  • annoyed look
  • annoyed sigh
Synonyms
  • irritated

    very close in meaning; slightly more about a constant small bother.

  • cross

    informal British English; describes mild anger, often used with children.

  • miffed

    informal; suggests being annoyed and a bit hurt at the same time.

  • exasperated

    stronger; suggests you have lost patience after many small annoyances.

Antonyms
  • pleased

    feeling happy or satisfied, the opposite reaction.

  • calm

    not feeling any anger or tension.

Grammar Patterns

annoyed with + person

annoyed about/at + thing

annoyed that + clause

annoyed to + infinitive

Usage Note

Typically describes a milder feeling than 'angry' or 'furious' — the cause is usually a small irritation. Often paired with 'with' before a person and 'about' or 'at' before a thing or situation.

Common Mistakes

I am annoyed from my brother.
I am annoyed with my brother.
use 'with' before the person who caused the feeling.
She was annoyed for the noise.
She was annoyed about the noise.
use 'about' or 'at' before the thing that caused it.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe negative feelings caused by something unpleasant, but they differ in strength and tone. 'Annoyed' and 'irritated' are the closest pair — both describe mild, everyday bother, like waiting in a slow line, though 'irritated' often hints at a repeating cause. 'Angry' is stronger and broader: it can describe deep, lasting feelings, such as anger about an injustice. 'Cross' is informal British English and is often used with children or in family contexts: 'Mum was cross with me.' 'Exasperated' is the strongest of the milder words and suggests your patience has finally run out after many small problems. Use 'annoyed' when the feeling is real but small and the cause is minor.

annoyed ↗irritated ↗angry ↗cross ↗exasperated

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • get annoyed
  • feel annoyed
  • sound annoyed
  • look annoyed

Prepositions

  • with (a person)
  • at (a thing or person)
  • about (a situation)
  • by (a behaviour)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

From the verb 'annoy', which entered English in the 13th century from Old French 'anoier' meaning to bother or weary. The French verb came from a Latin phrase 'in odio', meaning 'in hatred' or 'hateful', from which the English word 'odious' also developed. The adjective form 'annoyed' developed naturally as the past participle came to describe the state of someone who had been bothered.