Both describe displeasure, but they sit at different strengths: annoyed is mild, passing irritation, while angry is a much stronger feeling that tends to last. I was annoyed that the train was five minutes late. I was angry when they cancelled the service without telling anyone.
The core difference
These two are not different in kind, only in degree — which is exactly why they are hard to choose between. Annoyed covers small frictions: a dripping tap, a noisy neighbour, an unanswered message. Angry covers something bigger: unfairness, betrayal, harm. Annoyance fades in minutes; anger can sit with you for days.
There is a second, quieter difference. Annoyance is usually about an inconvenience. Anger is usually about a wrong. You are annoyed that a meeting overran; you are angry that you were blamed for it.
How to use each
- She was annoyed at having to queue twice for the same form.
- I get annoyed when people leave their trolleys in the middle of the aisle.
- He was angry about the way his father had been treated at the hospital.
- Don't say anything now — she is far too angry to hear it.
The test you can run
Ask what your body would do. If the honest answer is a sigh, an eye-roll or a muttered comment, you were annoyed. If it is a raised voice, a sleepless night or a letter of complaint, you were angry.
A second check: swap in irritated. If it fits comfortably, annoyed is your word. If irritated feels too small for what you mean, reach for angry.
The prepositions that follow
This trips people up more than the meaning does.
- Angry with a person: I'm angry with my brother.
- Angry about / at a situation: I'm angry about the decision.
- Angry that + a clause: I'm angry that nobody asked me.
- Annoyed with a person, annoyed about / at / by a thing: annoyed with him, annoyed by the delay.
"Angry at my brother" is widely used, especially in American English, and no one will misunderstand it; angry with is the safer choice in careful writing.
A note on tone
In British English, annoyed often does duty as understatement. "I was quite annoyed" can mean genuine anger, softened deliberately. Read context before taking it at face value — and be aware that if you use it that way in writing for an international audience, it may land as mild rather than serious.
One usage worth knowing: annoyed also functions as the passive of the verb annoy — "I was annoyed by the noise" means the noise annoyed me. There is no equivalent verb behind angry; you would say "the noise angered me", which sounds much heavier, or more naturally "the noise made me angry".
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "annoyed at" or "annoyed with" correct?
Both are correct, but they point at different things. Use <em>annoyed with</em> for a person (annoyed with my flatmate) and <em>annoyed at</em> or <em>annoyed by</em> for a thing or situation (annoyed at the delay).
Which is stronger, angry or annoyed?
Angry, by a clear margin. Annoyed sits at the level of mild irritation; angry describes a strong reaction, usually to something you consider wrong rather than merely inconvenient.
What words sit between annoyed and angry?
In rising order: annoyed, irritated, frustrated, cross, angry, furious, livid. <em>Cross</em> is chiefly British and lands just below angry; <em>furious</em> and <em>livid</em> sit above it.