an·nu·al
ˈan-yə(-wə)l 
-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
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
Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Macy’s annual Flower Show is back and bigger than ever.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025
Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Native to the plains and western United States, blanket flowers include perennials, annuals, and biennials.
—Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annual
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Adjective
The recent annual Women In Football conference allowed Horsell to approach the CEO of a major club to challenge them over their support of their female athletes.
—Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Macy’s annual Flower Show is back and bigger than ever.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
Small drifts of annuals mixed in with perennial and shrub borders can add much interest to the garden.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Native to the plains and western United States, blanket flowers include perennials, annuals, and biennials.
—Renee Freemon Mulvihill, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for annual
Cite this Entry
“Annual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annual. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
annual
1 of 2 adjective
an·nu·al
ˈan-y(ə-w)əl
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
-ē
annual
2 of 2 noun1
: 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"
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