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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

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bother

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noun

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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
What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth? Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025 Trier noticed that some directors said hello to him, whereas others couldn’t be bothered. Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 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
  • Punk music and its spirit clearly worried the Soviet rulers.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 Nov. 2025
  • For voters worried about health-insurance coverage or the future of research in the United States, scientists, health-care workers, and public-health experts may have particular appeal right now, Shields told me.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • She’d been awakened by their puppy, and had been annoyed at Ryan, who hadn’t gotten up early with the dog like he was supposed to.
    Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Kelce was evaluated for a concussion in the locker room, and he was annoyed at having to answer the questions that are part of the test.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Rose tells Shaw that her community is concerned about sacred remains being disturbed.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The 34-year-old appeared to have deactivated her X account after disturbing posts on her account resurfaced online.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Now, Stefanski is tasked with finding a way to turn things around in a hurry with arguably the weakest quarterback room in all of football.
    Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • There’s little expectation that the justices will be in a hurry to issue a ruling, so any impacts are likely to be months away.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • An Orange County judge granted the city of Santa Ana’s request for a preliminary injunction against several businesses on East First Street accused of being public nuisances.
    Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
  • According to the American Mosquito Control Association, mosquitoes are not only a nuisance but also a public health concern, capable of carrying diseases like West Nile virus.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • For the patents on some of Novo Nordisk’s hero products in certain regions to be running out is an inevitable headache—companies can only hold them for so long before competitors are able to launch their own products.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Symptoms may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches or other ailments.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The thumping Republicans took in this week's elections reflected longer-running anger among constituencies that already leaned Democratic, but the GOP needs to worry that the government shutdown will cause that frustration to spread.
    Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • One person familiar with Tuesday’s heated discussion within the caucus says there appears to be at least eight Democratic votes to reopen the government — even though progressive Democratic senators vented their frustration with the potential deal.
    Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Hal Mumme has never been more elated to be pestered with allergies.
    Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
  • The famous bullies attack boats and pester other animals for reasons that sometimes aren’t entirely clear.
    Ashley Balzer Vigil, Scientific American, 2 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.

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