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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fret
to experience concern or anxiety
just get the basic concept right and don't bother about the details
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
returning damaged goods is a real bother
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bother
Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
Critic scores for My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 have improved significantly over season 1, a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to a 67%, albeit this is not the kind of show that most critics bother to watch and review, as both only have a few reviews in, despite how popular the series is.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 8 July 2025
Indeed, the dog didn't seem to have any problems moving with the crate around him, even managing to change direction without bother.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Verb
The abrupt entry always bothered him—even a high-energy person like Flay needs a moment to pause.
—Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
Critic scores for My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 have improved significantly over season 1, a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to a 67%, albeit this is not the kind of show that most critics bother to watch and review, as both only have a few reviews in, despite how popular the series is.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
But, in Los Alamitos, the troop presence hasn’t been a bother for the surrounding community, Hasselbrink said.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 8 July 2025
Indeed, the dog didn't seem to have any problems moving with the crate around him, even managing to change direction without bother.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
-
Not knowing much about the condition, Mares-Sedillo worried that her face would be permanently altered.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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The condition's most severe symptoms are sensitivities to spices, salt, and sweets, which means there's no reason to worry about a geographic tongue diagnosis.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Newcastle fans are understandably annoyed with Isak, but have, for the most part, aimed their anger at Liverpool rather than their own club’s incompetence this summer.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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That wasn’t an attempt to minimize Friday’s miscues or shrug past all the disorder that had Johnson annoyed.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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By tracking how these patterns move from frame to frame, scientists can calculate the speed and direction of the grains inside the pile, without ever stopping or disturbing the flow.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Aug. 2025
-
On another job in an extravagant mansion, he’s disturbed by a loud noise upstairs.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Defensive end starter Charlie Collins and backup Phillip Lee led the front-line defensive group with two tackles each, though Lee had a team-high three quarterback hurries.—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
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In 2024, Beaman played in three games and made two tackles and forced one QB hurry.—
Matthew Ho,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In this era of college athletics what was once a nuisance and an annoyance — college classes — now often appear to not even be a part of the equation.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Sep. 2025
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Besides being a nuisance, mosquitoes can spread dangerous diseases.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The fight over transit funding is just one part of a bigger headache—Pennsylvania’s budget is more than nine weeks late.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Symptoms of Chagas disease include fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, and eyelid swelling.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As the Supreme Court increasingly shows frustration with the overreach of lower court judges, the justices could be motivated to take up cases more quickly on matters where lower courts are ignoring their emergency docket orders, such as with the firing of independent agency heads.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
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Advocates expressed frustration, emphasizing the need for comfortable and safe air travel for all passengers.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some pester celebrities for selfies.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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In his eulogy during Kobe’s memorial service, Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time, recalled how Kobe would pester him with questions.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
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