Nuisance
'njuːsəns
Definitions
A person, thing, or situation causing inconvenience or annoyance.
'njuːsəns
Something that causes inconvenience or annoyance.
The traffic was a real nuisance this morning.
💡 Simply: Imagine your little brother constantly poking you. That's a nuisance! It's anything that bothers you or makes life a little harder.
👶 For kids: Something that's annoying and bothers you.
More Examples
He found his neighbor's late-night parties a considerable nuisance.
The broken window had become a nuisance and a safety hazard.
The constant buzzing of the mosquito was a major nuisance as I tried to sleep.
How It's Used
"The loud construction work was a constant nuisance."
"The neighbors filed a complaint about the barking dog, claiming it was a public nuisance."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
public nuisance
Something that affects the rights of the community at large, such as pollution or excessive noise.
"The factory's pollution was declared a public nuisance by the court."
From Old French *nuisance*, from *nuire* 'to harm, injure', from Latin *nocēre* 'to harm'.
The word 'nuisance' has been used in English since the 14th century, originally referring to anything harmful or offensive.
Memory tip
Think of a pesky gnat constantly buzzing around – a constant nuisance!