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
Relevance
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!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
returning damaged goods is a real bother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Toria Sheffield, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Don’t bother adding eggshells, antacids, etc. to the soil.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Freedom From Wires Because of its portability design and rechargeable battery, the Kilburn III can be carried around the home without the bother of wires and power bricks.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Verb
A number of post commenters said that they personally would not be bothered by the encounter, and several people even found the OP’s description of the teen endearing.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Don’t bother adding eggshells, antacids, etc. to the soil.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
Freedom From Wires Because of its portability design and rechargeable battery, the Kilburn III can be carried around the home without the bother of wires and power bricks.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
-
Now, conservation experts worry the road will propel more urbanization.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Best for Mature Skin: Merit Bronze Balm Sheer Sculpting Bronzer Every shade of this stick has neutral undertones, so no need to worry about icky orange vibes—a victory for fair skin types.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Bankrate also recently released a survey showing that 38% are annoyed by pre-entered tip screens at coffee shops, food trucks, etc.—
Karlyn Bowman,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
At the array's center is a 118-dB speaker unit and a 9cc sound cavity to annoy fellow travelers with your excellent taste in music or be a useful audio beacon in emergencies.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
He was recently disturbed by a Reddit thread in which a user posted jargon-heavy chatbot messages that seemed eerily familiar.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
10 Aug. 2025
-
This experience left him disturbed by how his presence affected others.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Multiply the potential maximum by the number of violations, and things can get big in a hurry.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
During his freshman season, Walker registered 24 tackles, five tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries in 389 snaps in 13 games.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Weaver, the California waterfowl coordinator, said others were likely brought in the past few years to chase away Canada geese that have increasingly become a nuisance at parks and golf courses.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The presence of drones has caused alarm in communities—and the buzzing noise has sometimes become a nuisance.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Residents report constant running noses, headaches and sore throats.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
-
While the flu shot can cause redness and soreness at the injection site, as well as fever, muscle aches, headache and fatigue, FluMist can cause flu-like symptoms, including runny nose, congestion, sore throat, cough, fever, and muscle aches.—
Alice Park,
Time,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Trump in recent weeks has expressed frustration with Russia as the war continues, and Friday's meeting could have key implication for peace talks as well as Russia-U.S. relations.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Trump's frustration with Putin appeared to be building as Moscow expanded its ground and long-range strike operations in recent months.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Each bears a name co-opted into the English language to characterize human violence as animalistic, and include a definition—to badger: to pester, to bother.—
Emily Van Duyne
July 24,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
-
No kid brother tagging along, pestering him with questions, pushing up on his social circle.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share