nuisance
gb/nˈusəns/ us/nˈusəns/
B1
English
~ 9800
kellemetlenség, nyűg, zavaró tényező, jogellenes zavarás, birtokháborítás
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone]/[something] is a nuisance (to [someone])
That buzzing mosquito was a real nuisance all night.
Az a zümmögő szúnyog egész éjjel igazi bosszúságot okozott.
I don’t want to be a nuisance, but could you help me move this table?
Nem akarok a terhedre lenni, de tudnál segíteni arrébb tenni ezt az asztalt?
The roadworks have been a nuisance for everyone in the neighborhood.
His constant phone calls became such a nuisance that she stopped answering.
Car alarms going off at 3 a.m. are a terrible nuisance.
Learner examples
My little brother can be a nuisance when I am trying to study.
Az öcsém elég idegesítő tud lenni, amikor tanulni próbálok.
These heavy bags are a nuisance to carry on the bus.
Ezeket a nehéz táskákat nyűg a buszon cipelni.
The loud music from the bar is a nuisance for the people who live nearby.
Sorry to be a nuisance, but can you explain it again?
Rain is a nuisance when you forget your umbrella.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "nuisance" with stronger words like "danger" or "threat". "Nuisance" usually means something is annoying or inconvenient, not that it is seriously dangerous. It is also usually countable and used with an article: say "a nuisance" or "a real nuisance", not just "*it is nuisance".
Meaning
annoying or inconvenient person or thing
Collocations
real nuisance
|such a nuisance
|a bit of a nuisance
|be a nuisance
|constant nuisance
|noise nuisance
Synonyms
annoyance (More abstract and slightly more formal; can refer to the feeling or the thing causing it.)
|
irritation (Emphasizes the feeling of being irritated; slightly more emotional in tone.)
|
pest (Informal and often stronger or more negative, especially for people or animals that bother you a lot.)
Antonyms
pleasure (Something that is pleasant or enjoyable instead of annoying.)
|
help (Something or someone that makes things easier rather than causing trouble.)
Themes
daily life
|social
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person or thing that makes you feel annoyed or causes small problems, often again and again.
A person, thing, or situation that annoys people or causes inconvenience or small trouble, especially repeatedly.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] brings a nuisance claim against [someone/something]
The court found that the factory’s noise and dust amounted to a private nuisance.
A bíróság megállapította, hogy a gyár zaja és pora magánjogi zavarásnak minősült.
Residents filed a nuisance claim over the nightclub’s late-night outdoor events.
A lakók jogellenes zavarás miatt keresetet nyújtottak be a szórakozóhely késő esti szabadtéri rendezvényei miatt.
Under the statute, overflowing trash bins can be treated as a public nuisance.
The city attorney argued that the abandoned building was a public nuisance and should be demolished.
New regulations aim to reduce environmental nuisances affecting nearby homes.
Learner examples
The neighbors took the company to court for creating a nuisance with smoke and smell.
A szomszédok pert indítottak a cég ellen, mert az füsttel és bűzzel jogellenes zavarást okozott.
In law, a public nuisance is something that harms many people in the community.
A jogban a közösséget érintő jogellenes zavarás olyasmi, ami a közösség sok tagjának árt.
The judge said the loud music every night was a nuisance to the people living next door.
Law students study the tort of nuisance when they learn about property law.
The city can act if a factory is a nuisance to local residents.
Common mistake:
Learners often do not realize that "nuisance" has a special legal meaning different from everyday "annoyance". In legal contexts, it is not just something annoying; it is a specific type of unlawful interference that can be the basis of a lawsuit.
Meaning
legal interference with property rights
Collocations
public nuisance
|private nuisance
|statutory nuisance
|nuisance claim
|nuisance lawsuit
|nuisance action
Synonyms
tort (A general legal term for a civil wrong; "nuisance" is one specific type of tort.)
|
legal wrong (Broad term; "nuisance" is a more specific kind of legal wrong related to use or enjoyment of property or public rights.)
Antonyms
lawful use (Use of land or property that does not interfere with the rights of others and so is not a legal nuisance.)
|
amenity (Something that improves comfort or enjoyment of property, the opposite of a condition that interferes with enjoyment.)
Themes
law
|government
|housing
Definition
In legal English, a "nuisance" is an action or situation that the law says wrongly harms people’s use of their land or public spaces, so someone can take the case to court.
In law, an act, condition, or situation that unlawfully interferes with the use or enjoyment of land or with public rights, and may give rise to a civil or criminal action.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nuisance
IPA
GB/nˈusəns/
US/nˈusəns/
Syllables & stress
nuis - ance (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (nuis)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: nuisance
- Plural: nuisances
Word family
Expressions
be a nuisance
1/bˈi ə nˈusəns/
fixed phrase
cause annoyance or trouble
To annoy people or cause them small problems.
Examples
- I hope I’m not being a nuisance by calling so late.
- The broken printer has been a real nuisance this week.
- Street vendors can be a nuisance if they keep blocking the sidewalk.
make a nuisance of oneself
1/mˈeɪk ə nˈusəns əv wˌʌnsˈɛlf/
idiom
behave in an annoyingly disruptive way
To behave in a way that bothers people around you, especially again and again, so that they feel you are a problem.
Examples
- I don’t want to make a nuisance of myself, so I’ll keep the visit short.
- The kids were making a nuisance of themselves in the library and were asked to leave.
- Please don’t make a nuisance of yourself by blocking the doorway.
nuisance call
1/nˈusəns kˈɔl/
fixed phrase
unwanted or annoying phone call
An unwanted and annoying phone call, for example from people trying to sell something or from prank callers.
Examples
- She installed an app to block nuisance calls from telemarketers.
- The new rules aim to reduce nuisance calls to elderly people.
- I keep getting nuisance calls in the middle of the night.
nuisance tax
1/nˈusəns tˈæks/
fixed phrase
small but annoying tax
A tax that does not raise much money but is annoying for people or businesses to deal with.
Examples
- Some argue that the fee is just a nuisance tax that should be removed.
- The mayor promised to eliminate several nuisance taxes on small businesses.
- Critics call the charge a nuisance tax that creates paperwork without real benefit.
nuisance value
1/nˈusəns vˈælju/
fixed phrase
formal
value from ability to cause trouble
The worth that something has only because it can cause problems or extra cost for someone else, for example in legal or business negotiations.
Examples
- The lawsuit had little chance of success but some nuisance value, so the company chose to settle.
- They offered a small payment just to get rid of the claim’s nuisance value.
- The patent was kept mainly for its nuisance value against competitors.
private nuisance
1/pɹˈaɪvɪt nˈusəns/
fixed phrase
technical
legal interference with private land use
In law, a situation where one person’s actions stop another person from using and enjoying their own land in a normal way.
Examples
- The constant smoke from the restaurant’s kitchen was found to be a private nuisance.
- She sued her neighbor for private nuisance because of the loud parties every weekend.
- Private nuisance cases often involve noise, smell, or pollution from nearby property.
public nuisance
1/pˈʌblɪk nˈusəns/
fixed phrase
technical
harmful condition affecting the public
A legal or official term for something that harms or greatly annoys many people in a community, such as a dangerous building or very loud noise.
Examples
- The city declared the abandoned warehouse a public nuisance.
- Illegal dumping along the river has become a serious public nuisance.
- The council is considering new rules to deal with public nuisances like constant nighttime noise.
what a nuisance
1/wˈʌt ə nˈusəns/
fixed phrase
expression of mild annoyance
Used to say that something is annoying or causes a small problem, but is not very serious.
Examples
- The train’s been cancelled again? What a nuisance.
- What a nuisance that it started raining just as we went out.
- I’ve lost my keys—what a nuisance!