What a nuisance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "What a nuisance" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express annoyance or frustration about a situation or person. Example: "I can't believe my car broke down again. What a nuisance!" Alternative expressions include "What a bother" and "What an inconvenience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

What a nuisance that guys like this have to keep striving and existing and complicating my hard-bitten worldview.

The New York Times

What a nuisance.

Huffington Post

Yes, you think, ex-pats, what a nuisance.

The New York Times - Arts

Eric Rosenbloom President, National Wind Watch Hartland, Vt., Oct. 6, 2010 • To the Editor: Maine residents bothered by the noise of wind turbines should travel to West Virginia, meet the families of the 29 coal miners killed last April, and explain to them what a nuisance it is to live next to a wind farm.

The New York Times

Musharraf: Oh, my good, trusted friend, I understand your concern but we all know what a nuisance lawyers and the media are.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

No mater what you choose to hunt, kill only what you intend to eat, what is a nuisance to agriculture or property, or in self defense.

WikiHow

"What a bloody nuisance," I said to her. "I've got to go to my ball tonight".

Vice

What seemed a nuisance on Monday turned into an emergency when it became clear that roads impassable to ambulances were endangering lives.

The New York Times

Hanks said the council had a "far too narrow" view of what constituted a nuisance, believing it only applied to behaviour that involved physically blocking the entry to the clinic.

The Guardian

"What is a nuisance for rich-country researchers (constant emails) is a major corruption for developing-country science a corruption of the legitimate and vital open-access publishing model and a corruption of the vast funds, much of which are public, invested in global health research," she says.

Science Magazine

In Chinatown, what constitutes a nuisance, according to the evictors, are acts like hanging your Chinese New Year's decorations on the door of one's apartment; or hanging one's laundry outside from the balcony of your small apartment, a practice that goes back decades.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "What a nuisance" to express mild annoyance or frustration in response to an inconvenience. It's suitable for everyday situations where something is bothersome but not catastrophic.

Common error

Avoid using "What a nuisance" in highly formal or professional settings where a more sophisticated expression of concern or problem-solving approach is expected. Opt for phrases like "This presents a challenge" or "This is an inconvenience that requires attention."

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "What a nuisance" is to serve as an exclamatory phrase, expressing a speaker's annoyance or frustration. As seen in the Ludwig examples, it punctuates moments of inconvenience or irritation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

17%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "What a nuisance" is an exclamatory phrase used to express annoyance or frustration, best suited for informal and neutral contexts. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct, though relatively rare in occurrence. While you can use it in news and media, avoid it in formal academic writing. For alternative expressions, consider options like "What a bother" or "What an inconvenience". It's a handy phrase for everyday irritations, but choose your setting wisely!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

What a bother

This alternative uses a more general term for something troublesome or annoying.

What an inconvenience

This alternative emphasizes the disruption or trouble caused by something.

What a pain

This alternative is a more informal expression of annoyance.

How annoying

This alternative is a direct exclamation of being irritated.

What a hassle

This alternative suggests that something is causing unnecessary effort or difficulty.

What a problem

This alternative focuses on the troublesome aspect of something.

This is so irritating

This alternative expresses a feeling of being bothered or frustrated.

How troublesome

This alternative indicates that something is causing difficulty or effort.

What a snag

This alternative is a more British expression for a small problem or difficulty.

What a bind

This alternative suggests a difficult or annoying situation.

FAQs

How can I use "What a nuisance" in a sentence?

You can use "What a nuisance" to express annoyance or frustration about a situation or person. For example, "I forgot my umbrella. "What a nuisance"!"

What can I say instead of "What a nuisance"?

You can use alternatives like "What a bother", "What an inconvenience", or "What a pain" depending on the context.

Is "What a nuisance" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "What a nuisance" is generally better suited for informal or conversational contexts. In formal writing, consider using phrases that convey a similar meaning but with a more professional tone, such as "This presents an inconvenience" or "This situation is problematic".

What's the difference between "What a nuisance" and "What a problem"?

"What a nuisance" expresses mild annoyance about something causing inconvenience, while "What a problem" suggests a more significant issue that needs resolution. The choice depends on the severity of the situation you're describing.