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nuisance

noun
nui·​sance | \ ˈnü-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce nuisance (audio) , ˈnyü-\

Definition of nuisance

1 : harm, injury relieving the nuisance of poisonous fumes from rural factories — Collier's Yr. Bk.
2 : one that is annoying, unpleasant, or obnoxious : pest My allergies are a nuisance in the springtime. Weeds are a nuisance to the gardener.
Synonyms What is an attractive nuisance? More Example Sentences Learn More about nuisance

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What is an attractive nuisance?

Nuisance is a fine example of a word that has taken on a weakened meaning. It has been in use in English since the 15th century, and for much of that time signified "harm" or "injury" rather than mere "annoyance" (the word came into our language from French, but it can be traced back to the Latin nocēre, meaning “to harm”). In the early 19th century nuisance began to see considerable use in reference to people or things that were obnoxious rather than injurious, and that meaning has become the prevalent one. We retain evidence of the word’s earlier "harm" sense, however, in the legal term attractive nuisance, which refers to an enticing thing or condition (such as an unattended ladder leaning against a house) that might attract a child and cause them injury.

Examples of nuisance in a Sentence

the new neighbor is threatening to become a nuisance, dropping in on us several times a day folding up this map correctly is such a nuisance

Recent Examples on the Web

 Most states espouse a common-law understanding of public nuisance that is much narrower than the relevant statute in Oklahoma, notes Richard Ausness of the University of Kentucky Law School. — The Economist, "Johnson & Johnson, Purdue and other opioid-peddlers face a reckoning," 29 Aug. 2019 The ruling is based on an Oklahoma public nuisance law. — Ephrat Livni, Quartz, "J&J’s $527 million dollar fine in opioid case doesn’t bode well for Purdue Pharma," 29 Aug. 2019 In gun litigation public nuisance arguments did not work. — Ellen Florian, Fortune, "What the Sackler Offer and the J&J Opioid Verdict Tell Us About the Next Big Test for Drugmakers—an Ohio Trial in October," 27 Aug. 2019 At one point, Mayor John Cranley even threatened to declare the hotel a nuisance property, which could have forced it to shut down operations. — Sarah Brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "New Downtown convention center hotel postponed," 7 Aug. 2019 And now, things might even become more of a nuisance at San Francisco International Airport. — Rex Crum, The Mercury News, "Starting Aug. 20, SFO to ban sales of plastic bottles of water," 2 Aug. 2019 Las Vegas is facing a grasshopper invasion of biblical proportions, though fortunately the winged insects are more of a nuisance than a sign of the apocalypse. — Alejandro De La Garza, Time, "Las Vegas' Huge Grasshopper Swarm Is Showing Up on Weather Radar," 28 July 2019 And, the suspicions of Mary Louise should be more of a nuisance than a legitimate problem for Jane. — Ariana Romero, refinery29.com, "The Big Little Lies Finale Is Coming — Which Of The Monterey Five Will Spill The Lie?," 15 July 2019 Sal getting stuck in an elevator was a mild nuisance. — Daniel Menegaz, EW.com, "The most hilarious moments from Impractical Jokers," 9 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nuisance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of nuisance

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for nuisance

Middle English nusaunce, noisaunce "harm, damage, (in law) cause of annoyance or inconvenience," borrowed from Anglo-French nusance, noisance, from nuis-, nois-, nus-, stem of nuire, nure, noisir, nuser "to injure, damage, vex" (going back to Latin nocēre "to injure, harm") +-ance -ance — more at noxious

Note: The meanings of Anglo-French nuire and nusance have been influenced by partially overlapping forms of noier "to annoy, vex," an aphetic form of anoier, ennoier (see annoy).

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More Definitions for nuisance

nuisance

noun
How to pronounce nuisance (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of nuisance

: a person, thing, or situation that is annoying or that causes trouble or problems

See the full definition for nuisance in the English Language Learners Dictionary

nuisance

noun
nui·​sance | \ ˈnü-sᵊns How to pronounce nuisance (audio) , ˈnyü-\

Kids Definition of nuisance

: an annoying or troublesome person, thing, or situation

nuisance

noun
nui·​sance | \ ˈnüs-ᵊns, ˈnyüs- How to pronounce nuisance (audio) \

Legal Definition of nuisance

: something (as an act, object, or practice) that invades or interferes with another's rights or interests (as the use or enjoyment of property) by being offensive, annoying, dangerous, obstructive, or unhealthful
— attractive nuisance
1 : a thing or condition on one's property that poses a risk to children who may be attracted to it without realizing the risk by virtue of their youth
2 : a doctrine or theory employed in most jurisdictions: a possessor of property may be liable for injury caused to a trespassing or invited child by a condition on the property if he or she failed to use ordinary care in preventing such injury (as by fencing in a pool) and had reason to foresee entry by the child and if the utility of the condition was minor compared to the likelihood of injury declined to extend the doctrine of attractive nuisance…to moving trains — Honeycutt v. City of Wichita, 796 P.2d 549 (1990)

Note: The doctrine of attractive nuisance originated in an 1873 U.S. Supreme Court case, Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Co. v. Stout, 84 U.S. 657 (1873), involving a trespassing child injured by a railroad turntable; an early premise was that the attractive nuisance caused the trespass, and so by extension the owner was responsible for the trespass as well. Subsequent modification of the doctrine has focused on the possessor's duty to use care in preventing injury, whether a child is a trespasser or invitee.

— common nuisance
: public nuisance in this entry
— nuisance at law
: nuisance per se in this entry
— nuisance in fact
: an act, occupation, or structure that is considered a nuisance in relation to its circumstances or surroundings a lawful business may be a nuisance in fact in a particular location

— called also nuisance per accidens

— compare nuisance per se in this entry
— nuisance per se
: an act, occupation, or structure that is considered a nuisance regardless of its circumstances or surroundings a house of prostitution is a nuisance per se

— called also nuisance at law

— compare nuisance in fact in this entry
— private nuisance
: something (as an activity) that constitutes an unreasonable interference in the right to the u

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