bother

¹both·er

verb \ˈbä-thər\

both·ered both·er·ing \ˈbäth-riŋ, ˈbä-thə-\

Definition of BOTHER

transitive verb

1

: to annoy especially by petty provocation : irk

2

: to intrude upon : pester

3

: to cause to be somewhat anxious or concerned <my stomach is bothering me> —often used interjectionally

intransitive verb

1

: to become concerned <wouldn't bother with details>

2

: to take pains : take the trouble <never bothered to ask>

Examples of BOTHER

1. He's so easygoing. Nothing seems to bother him.
2. Something he said at the meeting has been bothering me.
3. The entire car trip was filled with complaints like, “Mom, David keeps bothering me!” and “Will you tell him to quit bothering me?”.
4. Mother used to cook elaborate dinners, but with only herself to cook for, she doesn't bother anymore.
5. “Should I call later?” “No, don't bother.”
6. I'm not going to bother with the details.

Origin of BOTHER

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1728

Related to BOTHER

Synonyms

bug, chivy (or chivvy), disturb, intrude (upon), pester

Antonyms

calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

Related Words

inconvenience, trouble; aggravate, annoy, bedevil, chafe, devil, dog, dun, exasperate, fret, gall, get, gnaw, grate, hassle, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rankle, rasp, rile, roil, torment, vex, worry; beleaguer, beset, besiege; distress, plague; afflict, harass, provoke; anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, inflame (also enflame), infuriate, madden, outrage; agitate, perturb; butt in, cut in (on), obtrude; encroach, infringe, invade, trespass

Near Antonyms

disregard, forget, ignore, leave, slight; appease, conciliate, disarm, mollify, oblige, placate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; comfort, console, content

See Synonym Discussion at annoy

Rhymes with BOTHER

father, pother

²bother

noun

Definition of BOTHER

1

a : a state of petty discomfort, annoyance, or worry

b : something that causes petty annoyance or worry

2

: fuss

Examples of BOTHER

1. Replacing the windows could be more of a bother than it's worth.
2. I know what a bother driving into the city can be this time of day.
3. “Sorry to bother you.” “That's okay, it's no bother at all.”
4. I considered replacing that part of the floor but decided it wasn't worth the bother.
5. He doesn't want the bother of filling out all those forms again.
6. Will you mail this for me? It will save me the bother of going to the post office.

First Known Use of BOTHER

1788

Related to BOTHER

Synonyms

ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, commotion, bustle, clatter, clutter [chiefly dialect], coil, corroboree [Australian], disturbance, do [chiefly dialect], foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha (also hoo-hah), hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry (or hurry-skurry), kerfuffle [chiefly British], moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore [Scottish], squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo

Related Words

cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar; disorder, unrest, upheaval; eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst; brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee (also mêlée), scuffle; dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzy

Near Antonyms

calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquillity (or tranquility); order, orderliness

Rhymes with BOTHER

father, pother