English Reference
adjective · verb

annoyed

adj. · v.
US /əˈnɔɪd/ UK /ɐnˈɔɪd/ an·noyed

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    adj.feeling a little bit angry or impatient because of something you do not like.

    adj.experiencing a state of mild irritation, impatience, or vexation. Usually functions as a predicative adjective following a linking verb.

    Simple

    He was annoyed because the train was ten minutes late again.

    In context

    She grew increasingly annoyed by the constant interruptions, which made it impossible to focus on the complex legal documents.

    Usage

    Commonly followed by the prepositions 'with' (for people) or 'at' and 'by' (for situations).

    Pitfall
    The loud music was very annoyed. The loud music was very annoying.

    Use 'annoyed' to describe how a person feels. Use 'annoying' to describe the thing that causes the feeling.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    v.the past tense of 'annoy', meaning you bothered or irritated someone.

    v.the past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'annoy', meaning to have caused irritation or to have disturbed someone.

    Simple

    The buzzing fly annoyed him all afternoon while he tried to sleep.

    In context

    The persistent technical glitches annoyed the developers, who had already spent weeks attempting to stabilise the server environment.

    pleasedsoothed
Don't confuse

annoyed vs annoying — Annoyed describes the person feeling the emotion, while annoying describes the thing or person causing it.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated