Something or someone that causes small but annoying problems or discomfort. It is bothersome but usually not truly dangerous or serious.
From Old French “nuisance,” meaning “harm, injury,” from Latin “nocere,” meaning “to harm.” Its meaning softened over time from serious harm to everyday annoyance.
Legally, a “nuisance” can still mean a serious, ongoing problem, like loud noise or pollution. In everyday talk, though, we’ve downgraded it to cover everything from buzzing mosquitoes to a pop-up ad that won’t close.
The term “nuisance” has often been applied dismissively to women’s complaints, activism, or presence in public spaces, framing them as irritating rather than substantive. In law and everyday speech, labeling someone a nuisance has sometimes been a way to silence or trivialize marginalized groups.
Avoid calling people or groups a “nuisance” when they are raising concerns or asserting rights; describe the specific behavior or impact instead.
["problematic behavior","disruption","unwelcome impact"]
Women organizers and whistleblowers have frequently been dismissed as nuisances before their concerns were later recognized as valid and important.
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