bother 1 of 2

verb

ˈbä-t͟hər How to pronounce bother (audio)
Definition of bothernext
1
as in to worry
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation I am never going to get this work done if people don't stop wandering into the room and bothering me

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2
as in to annoy
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts it bothers me when obviously sick people go to movies and spend the whole time coughing and sneezing

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3
as in to fret
to experience concern or anxiety just get the basic concept right and don't bother about the details

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4
as in to disturb
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the boss's cryptic message about changes to the company bothered me

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bother

2 of 2

noun

1
as in hurry
a state of noisy, confused activity the whole household was in a bother, as our overnight guests were expected to arrive any minute

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2
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying the woman next-door is such a bother—always dropping in at the most inopportune moments!

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3
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation returning damaged goods is a real bother

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4
as in frustration
the feeling of impatience or anger caused by another's repeated disagreeable acts never let his personal bothers interfere with his responsibilities at work

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bother differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bother are annoy, irk, and vex. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

In what contexts can annoy take the place of bother?

The words annoy and bother are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

When can irk be used instead of bother?

Although the words irk and bother have much in common, irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

When is it sensible to use vex instead of bother?

The synonyms vex and bother are sometimes interchangeable, but vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.

vexed by her son's failure to clean his room

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bother
Verb
But don't bother asking your travel agent to book you a room at the New Old Lompoc House, the hotel where Sousé deposits a very drunk bank auditor named J. Pinkerton Snoopington (Francis Pangborn). — Tom Gliatto, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 The rationale for stripping you of your right to go after bad actors is usually the same: Businesses shouldn’t be bothered with frivolous lawsuits. — Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
That should make entering and exiting the vehicle less of a bother. — New Atlas, 31 Jan. 2025 Seeing that Orlando could win games without him, and later without the Wagner bothers, kept Banchero’s spirits up. — Josh Robbins, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
  1. worry
  2. annoy
  3. disturb
  4. hurry
  5. nuisance
  6. headache
  7. frustration
  8. pester
Verb
  • That’s more than the average user would use, so don't worry about about hitting your allowances.
    — StackCommerce Team (Sponsored), PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Throughout the night, Booker read letters from constituents worried about losing access to affordable health care, emphasizing that these concerns were not abstract but deeply personal for millions of people.
    — Nik Popli, Time, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Waltz now has a bunch of top officials, and their teams, who are annoyed at him for drawing bad publicity.
    — Marc Caputo, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
  • However, standing in the middle of a road to capture the Eiffel Tower in the background is not only unsafe but can also annoy locals.
    — Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of annoy
Verb
  • Crimping is the process of severing a crop at the base and laying it over to create a decomposing thatch/mulch layer for the garden without disturbing the soil.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2025
  • For example, museums could provide different audio guides to visitors without headphones, and libraries could allow students to study with audio lessons without disturbing others.
    — Jiaxin Zhong, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of disturb
Noun
  • Germany, a country that traditionally favors social spending over national defense and is almost immovable out of its comfort zone, now resembles a country in a hurry.
    — Daniel DePetris, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2025
  • European officials and observers have also warned the administration, in its hurry to reach a deal, is vulnerable to manipulation by Putin.
    — Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of hurry
Noun
  • In a meeting that month which Dahl recorded, Turner referred to Williams as a nuisance who had already been dealt with.
    — Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
  • However, residents argue that the alligator, who had been sunning beside a pond on the property for more than a decade, was not a nuisance but that his fate was in fact decided by the new management, who thought the wild animal posed a risk to residents.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of nuisance
Noun
  • Avantree Cord Organizer $7 at Amazon Cord clutter is a universal travel headache.
    — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2025
  • While blazes like this one can be a major headache for people, fire is also a critical part of South Florida’s ecosystem — particularly the Everglades.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of headache
Noun
  • In one post, a former colleague expresses frustration that the book seems to take credit for his efforts at the company.
    — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Gottlieb went on to clearly express frustration on being the number four No. 1 seed selected.
    — Allison Smith, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of frustration
Verb
  • Kansas City’s ability to pester the game’s best relievers became a defining trait of the 2024 team.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Nothing had gone right for the Mariners all night as the smaller, quicker Cardinals pestered them with speed, energy and a barrage of three-pointers.
    — Devin Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of pester

Browse Nearby Words

botching
bother
botheration
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Cite this Entry

“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

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