- A direct statement expressing that something is causing irritation or bother.
Explanation
Origin
- Simple descriptive phrase using the adjective annoying, derived from the verb annoy (to irritate or bother).
- Straightforward way to label a situation or behavior as bothersome.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- That's a drag. (Causes disappointment or boredom/annoyance)
- That's messed up. (More general negative judgment, can mean annoying)
- That blows. (Slang, = That sucks)
- Weak sauce. (Slang, meaning lame or unimpressive, can apply to annoying situations)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- That's fucking annoying.
- That's bullshit. (Expressing frustration/unfairness)
- That pisses me off. (Expressing anger/annoyance)
Milder/More Formal:
- That's rather irritating.
- That's quite bothersome.
- That presents an inconvenience. (Very formal)
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal.
- Generally acceptable in most everyday conversations.
- In very formal settings, a more measured phrase like That's inconvenient or That's problematic might be preferred.
- Expresses negativity, so consider the context and audience. Directly calling a person's *behavior* annoying to their face can be confrontational.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- The meaning is quite direct and unlikely to be misunderstood.
- Non-native speakers should be cautious about directing it at a person (*You* are annoying) versus a situation (*That* is annoying), as the former is much more confrontational.
Examples
- Situation: The train is delayed again? That's annoying.
- Behavior: He keeps clicking his pen. That's annoying.
- Experience: My internet keeps dropping out. That's annoying.
Dialogue
Person A: My upstairs neighbors are playing loud music again.
Person B: Oh, that's annoying. Especially late at night.
Person A: Exactly! I can't sleep.
Colleague A: I have to re-enter all this data because the system crashed. That's annoying.
Colleague B: Ugh, yeah, that's the worst. Happened to me last week.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: My flight keeps getting delayed. That's annoying. Just want to get home!
- Comment on a post about spam calls: I get those all the time too. That's annoying!
Response Patterns
- Agreement: Yeah, it really is. / Tell me about it. / I know.
- Sympathy: Oh man, that sucks. / Sorry to hear that.
- Offering solutions: Have you tried restarting the router? / Maybe ask him to stop?
- Disagreement (rare unless defending): Oh, I don't mind it.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After stating That's annoying:
- The speaker might elaborate on why it's annoying or what effect it's having.
- They might try to stop the annoying thing (ask the person to stop clicking, restart the router).
- They might simply sigh or express further frustration.
After hearing That's annoying:
- The listener typically offers agreement or sympathy.
- Might ask for more details (What happened?).
Conversation Starter
- No. It's a comment on an existing situation or piece of information.
Intonation
- Typically stated with a slightly frustrated or weary tone.
- Stress often falls on annoying. That's anNOYing.
- Falling intonation at the end. Can be delivered deadpan or with more emotion depending on the level of irritation.
Generation Differences
- Common across all generations. Slang alternatives (That sucks, That blows) might be more prevalent among younger generations.
Regional Variations
- Standard phrase used in all major English-speaking regions.