annual

1 of 2

adjective

an·​nu·​al ˈan-yə(-wə)l How to pronounce annual (audio)
-yü-əl
1
: covering the period of a year
annual rainfall
annual income
2
: occurring or happening every year or once a year : yearly
an annual reunion
an annual physical checkup
3
: completing the life cycle in one growing season or single year
annual plants

annual

2 of 2

noun

1
: an event that occurs yearly
2
: a publication appearing yearly
the high-school annual
3
: something that lasts one year or season
specifically : a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season

Examples of annual in a Sentence

Adjective The annual meeting is in July. The company's earnings for last year are published in the annual report. We had more snow this year than the average annual amount. The company charges an annual fee of $45. Noun We planted some annuals in front of the house.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
South Korea’s annual meat intake per person exceeded that of rice for the first time in 2022. Min Joo Kim, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024 Peltz is still not contesting Iger’s leadership directly, but a Trian victory at April’s annual shareholder meeting would nonetheless undermine Iger’s authority. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 Amid the mean mugs and the constant humiliation, the housewife plots her way inside Palm Beach’s inner circle on a quest to host the end-of-season Beach Ball, Norma’s annual extravaganza. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 Vu will be recognized at the annual Behavioral Health Community Heroes Award ceremony on May 1, according to a press release from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District. Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 Tonight in Los Angeles marks the 55th year of the annual NAACP Image Awards, which strives to celebrate and uplift Black talent across all facets of entertainment, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 17 Mar. 2024 Hosted by Queen Latifah at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium, the 55th annual NAACP Image Awards ceremony airs tonight at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Mar. 2024 Stause wears a reflective metal bodice while grabbing a Ketel One Cocktail at the 35th annual GLAAD Awards in L.A. on March 14. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 The increasingly bitter contest is hurtling toward a climax on April 3, when Disney will hold its annual shareholder meeting and proxy votes will be counted. Lauren Hirsch, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024
Noun
La Jolla Playhouse’s annual Without Walls Festival will take place April 4-7 on the UC San Diego campus, and the San Diego International Fringe Festival returns to Balboa Park May 16-26. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2024 These small, compact annuals provide sporadic color in the winter months and then form a carpet of blooms in the spring. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2024 Visit the local garden shop and research annuals, roses and flowering succulents with hints of the color. Cameron Sullivan, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2024 The basics of planting shrubs, annuals, and perennials will be discussed. Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 The likelihood of chance meetings with old friends and the opportunity to slip off to one of the many nearby bars and restaurants in Brookside contributes to the art annual’s ongoing appeal. Bill Brownlee, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 Thousands of shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs and trees that offer visitors something to see in all seasons. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 For retailers, a survey by Levin Management Corp (their 13th annual) found that 30% of retailer respondents plan to open new stores in 2024, the highest level in the survey since 2017. Nikki Baird, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 Many gardeners grow them as annuals, replacing them with heat-tolerant flowers in the summer. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'annual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French annuel, from Late Latin annualis, blend of Latin annuus yearly (from annus year) and Latin annalis yearly (from annus year); probably akin to Goth athnam (dative plural) years, Sanskrit atati he walks, goes

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of annual was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near annual

Cite this Entry

“Annual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annual. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

annual

1 of 2 adjective
an·​nu·​al ˈan-y(ə-w)əl How to pronounce annual (audio)
1
: covering the period of a year
annual rainfall
2
: occurring or performed once a year : yearly
an annual meeting
3
: completing the life cycle in one growing season or single year
annual plants
annually
adverb

annual

2 of 2 noun
1
: a publication appearing yearly
2
: an annual plant
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English annual "for a year," from early French annuel and Latin annualis (both, same meaning), derived from Latin annus "year"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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