BOTHER Synonyms: 362 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

bother 1 of 2

verb

ˈbä-t͟hər

Definition of bother

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

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

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

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

bother

2 of 2

noun

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

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

as in headache

something that is a source of irritation returning damaged goods is a real bother

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Motorola didn’t bother releasing new versions of its non-folding Edge phones in 2026, and if that trend continues, the 2027 devices may be foldables. — ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026 The small market doesn't seem to bother them (take note, other GMs). — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Noun

Moving to a different state wasn’t a bother. — Anthony Aguirre, Miami Herald, 17 June 2026 Rebuilding a compliant testing and governance regime for one market and a looser one for the rest is rarely worth the bother, so the strictest rule tends to become the working standard. — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bother

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother

Verb

In Texas, lawmakers have been exploring a ban on foreign nationals using Texas surrogates – a move surrogacy experts worry could be the first step toward a statewide ban on the practice.

— Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
The Port of Los Angeles forklift driver was wearing a life vest and was floating away, out to sea -- cold, worried about sharks and drowning.

— Michele Gile, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of worry

Verb

That was Gardner’s first game with the Colts after being acquired from the New York Jets, and while Indy pulled out the OT victory, Gardner was still annoyed by some of the social media chatter afterward.

— James Boyd, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Debt collectors also can't repeatedly call with the intent to annoy, abuse or harass you.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of annoy

Verb

Road construction can disturb natural hydrology, said Kate Groetzinger, the communications director for the Center for Western Priorities.

— Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 19 Aug. 2026
A couple of years ago, a neighbor’s trees were disturbing the view from their $3-million summer house on the coast of Maine.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturb

Noun

Washburn recorded 17 tackles, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup, but one of his biggest performances came on one of the biggest stages as Washburn recorded two sacks against FAMU in the Florida Classic.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
There’s widespread thinking that Iran is not in much of a hurry.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of hurry

Noun

Therefore, the state-level attorney general might opt to bring a legal charge of public nuisance against an AI maker and their AI.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Golden State’s stellar defense has quickly developed a reputation for being a nuisance against top guards in particular.

— Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of nuisance

Noun

These include a severe or persistent headache, changes in vision such as blurred vision or seeing spots, pain in the upper abdomen, significant swelling of the face or hands, shortness of breath, and nausea or vomiting later in pregnancy.

— Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
But in some cases, West Nile can reach the brain and cause extreme headaches, meningitis, tremors, convulsions and paralysis.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of headache

Noun

That ambiguity is echoed in Banks’ score, which takes on the tone of a lament and a celebration, frustration and hope, struggle and liberation, the quest for transcendence in the face of the challenges posed by daunting inequities.

— George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
The move follows efforts by Pinterest and LinkedIn to respond to users’ frustrations with AI slop in their feeds.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of frustration

Verb

Homeowners can’t obtain advice or accurate estimates without handing over their phone numbers and risk being pestered by overzealous salespeople.

— Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
In the clip shared on social media, the bird appears poised to go after a second player before veering off at the last moment, then continues pestering several others on the field until the referee is forced to pause the game.

— Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of pester

Browse Nearby Words

botching

bother

botheration

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bother

verb

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

devolve

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes