If you say that someone or something is a nuisance, you mean that they annoy you or cause you a lot of problems.
He could be a bit of a nuisance when he was drunk.
Sorry to be a nuisance.
See make a nuisance of oneself
nuisance in British English
(ˈnjuːsəns)
noun
1.
a.
a person or thing that causes annoyance or bother
b.
(as modifier)
nuisance calls
2. law
something unauthorized that is obnoxious or injurious to the community at large (public nuisance) or to an individual, esp in relation to his or her ownership or occupation of property (private nuisance)
3. nuisance value
Word origin
C15: via Old French from nuire to injure, from Latin nocēre
nuisance in American English
(ˈnusəns; ˈnjusəns)
noun
1.
an act, condition, thing, or person causing trouble, annoyance, or inconvenience
2. Law
a use of one's property that causes danger or annoyance to others or that interferes with others using or enjoying their own property and that is subject to civil action
Word origin
ME nusance < OFr < nuisir, noisir < L nocere, to annoy: see necro-
Examples of 'nuisance' in a sentence
nuisance
They admitted causing a public nuisance and apologised.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Any persons causing a nuisance or disturbance to others will be asked to leave.
The Sun (2016)
That is because the hernia can become a nuisance.
The Sun (2016)
I feel that elderly people like me have become a nuisance to society and the country and that's very sad.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The pain and restricted movement can be a real nuisance and it can go on for months.
The Sun (2009)
Any persons causing a nuisance or disturbance will be asked to leave.
The Sun (2008)
He makes such a nuisance of himself.
The Sun (2006)
He has no discipline and has become a nuisance.
The Sun (2014)
Your neighbour cannot lawfully cause a nuisance.
The Sun (2016)
They say that unruly fight fans will cause a public nuisance.
The Sun (2010)
The thing has become an absolute public nuisance.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It can be a real nuisance and looks unsightly.
The Sun (2010)
Any persons causing a nuisance or disturbance to others will be asked to leave.
The Sun (2013)
For them the survivors had become a nuisance.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
No explanation or suspicion that the person could be a public nuisance is required.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
But it can be a real nuisance because it can go on for ages.
The Sun (2009)
He denies one charge of causing a public nuisance.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They play loud music, drink and generally cause a nuisance.
The Sun (2009)
They don't know the road and if you follow them they are an absolute nuisance.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It's not a huge issue but it has become a nuisance.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But they must not interfere with equipment, privacy or cause a nuisance.
The Sun (2009)
Sweet to look at, but an absolute nuisance.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The rural church tends to expect the pastor to visit the members regularly and to make a nuisance of himself with the sick and elderly.
Christianity Today (2000)
In other languages
nuisance
British English: nuisance /ˈnjuːsəns/ NOUN
If you say that someone or something is a nuisance, you mean that they annoy you or cause you problems.
He could be a bit of a nuisance.
American English: nuisance
Arabic: إِزْعَاجٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: amolação
Chinese: 讨厌的东西
Croatian: smetnja
Czech: otrava obtěžující člověk
Danish: plage
Dutch: lastpost
European Spanish: molestia
Finnish: riesa
French: embarras
German: Plage
Greek: μπελάς
Italian: seccatura
Japanese: 厄介なもの
Korean: 귀찮은 존재
Norwegian: plage
Polish: utrapienie
European Portuguese: incómodo
Romanian: belea
Russian: досада
Latin American Spanish: molestia
Swedish: besvär
Thai: การก่อให้เกิดความรำคาญ
Turkish: sıkıntı
Ukrainian: прикрість
Vietnamese: mối phiền toái
Chinese translation of 'nuisance'
nuisance
(ˈnjuːsns)
n
to be a nuisance[thing]讨(討)厌(厭)的东(東)西 (tǎoyàn de dōngxi) [person]讨(討)厌(厭)的人 (tǎoyàn de rén)
it's a nuisance that ... 真是讨(討)厌(厭) ... (zhēn shì tǎoyàn ... )
what a nuisance!真讨(討)厌(厭)! (zhēn tǎoyàn!)
(noun)
Definition
a person or thing that causes annoyance or bother
He can be a bit of a nuisance when he's drunk.It's a real nuisance having to pick up the kids from school every day.
Synonyms
trouble
He's no trouble at all, but his brother is rude and selfish.
problem
trial
The whole affair has been a terrible trial for us all.
bore
He's a bore and a fool.
drag (informal)
Shopping for clothes is a drag.
bother
Most men hate the bother of shaving.
plague (informal)
The traffic can be a real plague at times.
pest
My neighbour's a real pest.
irritation
Don't allow a minor irritation to mar your ambitions.
hassle (informal)
I don't think it's worth the money or the hassle.
inconvenience
We apologize for any inconvenience caused during the repairs.
annoyance
Snoring can be more than an annoyance.
pain (informal)
pain in the neck (informal)
She can be a pain in the neck when she's in this sort of mood.
pain in the arse (taboo, slang)
pain in the backside (informal)
pain in the butt (informal)
gall
Opposites
benefit
,
delight
,
pleasure
,
joy
,
blessing
,
happiness
Seedrag
Synonyms of 'nuisance'
nuisance
Explore 'nuisance' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of drag
Definition
a tedious or boring thing
Shopping for clothes is a drag.
Synonyms
nuisance,
pain (informal),
bore,
bother,
pest,
hassle (informal),
inconvenience,
annoyance,
pain in the neck,
pain in the arse (taboo, slang),
pain in the backside (informal),
pain in the butt (informal)
in the sense of gall
Definition
something that causes annoyance
Synonyms
irritation,
bother,
harassment,
pest,
nuisance,
provocation,
annoyance,
irritant,
exasperation,
aggravation (informal),
vexation,
botheration (informal)
in the sense of hassle
Definition
a great deal of trouble
I don't think it's worth the money or the hassle.
Synonyms
trouble,
problem,
difficulty,
upset,
bother,
grief (informal),
trial,
struggle,
uphill (South Africa),
inconvenience
in the sense of inconvenience
Definition
a state or instance of trouble or difficulty
We apologize for any inconvenience caused during the repairs.
Synonyms
trouble,
difficulty,
bother,
upset,
fuss,
disadvantage,
disturbance,
disruption,
drawback,
hassle (informal),
nuisance,
downside,
annoyance,
hindrance,
awkwardness,
vexation,
uphill (South Africa)
in the sense of irritation
Don't allow a minor irritation to mar your ambitions.
Synonyms
nuisance,
annoyance,
irritant,
pain (informal),
drag (informal),
bother,
plague (informal),
menace (informal),
tease,
pest,
hassle,
provocation,
gall,
goad,
aggravation (informal),
pain in the neck (informal),
pain in the arse (taboo, slang),
thorn in your flesh
in the sense of pain in the neck
Definition
a person or thing that is annoying or irritating
She can be a pain in the neck when she's in this sort of mood.
Synonyms
nuisance,
pain (informal),
bore,
drag (informal),
bother,
headache (informal),
pest,
irritation,
annoyance,
aggravation (informal),
vexation,
pain in the arse (taboo, slang),
pain in the backside (informal)
in the sense of pest
Definition
an annoying person or thing
My neighbour's a real pest.
Synonyms
nuisance,
bore,
trial,
pain (informal),
drag (informal),
bother,
irritation,
gall,
annoyance,
bane,
pain in the neck (informal),
pain in the arse (taboo, slang),
vexation,
thorn in your flesh
in the sense of plague
Definition
a nuisance
The traffic can be a real plague at times.
Synonyms
nuisance,
problem,
pain (informal),
bother,
pest,
hassle (informal),
annoyance,
irritant,
aggravation (informal),
vexation,
thorn in your flesh
in the sense of trial
Definition
an annoying or frustrating person or thing
The whole affair has been a terrible trial for us all.