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
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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
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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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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
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Recent Examples of bother
Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Riders were rarely bothered much by driving issues.
—Abhirup Roy, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Trump has been threatening for months to use the Alien Enemies Act, of 1798, to expel Venezuelans who the Administration says belong to the Tren de Aragua gang, without the bother of going through legal proceedings.
—Ruth Marcus, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Verb
Put it this way: Under the old system, the networks never bothered to mic everyone up for those handshake moments that used to happen on the big stage.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Riders were rarely bothered much by driving issues.
—Abhirup Roy, USA Today, 27 June 2025
Noun
The United States appeared to be in a spot of bother heading into last week’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, after three top players withdrew simultaneously with only days to go.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Trump has been threatening for months to use the Alien Enemies Act, of 1798, to expel Venezuelans who the Administration says belong to the Tren de Aragua gang, without the bother of going through legal proceedings.
—Ruth Marcus, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
-
Conservationists worry the project could damage the Everglades.—
Skyler Swisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 June 2025
-
Concerns about student overuse and misuse are still prevalent: About half of teachers worry that student use of AI will decrease teens’ ability to think critically and independently or to have persistence when problem solving, according to the study.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
Francie instantly annoys Nat by kissing Pete hello, and the two women start yelling at each other immediately.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
27 June 2025
-
If visible bulbs and cables annoy you, these aren’t for you.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Hammond, not wanting the dinosaurs disturbed, sends behavioral paleontologist Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) to Isla Sorna, where the dinosaurs have been living without human interference.—
Will Harris,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
-
The Heisenberg uncertainty principle teaches us that observation disturbs the observed.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
View Recipe 08 of 10 Skillet Taco Pie Need to feed a crowd in a hurry?—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2025
-
Kourtney Kardashian is another celebrity who wasn’t in a hurry to move in with her husband Travis Barker.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Neighbors call in concerned about true nuisances that could affect the enjoyment of their private property.—
Andrew Wimer,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Reactions to the sudden move varied: Those in the community who considered the festival a nuisance were relieved.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
The variant has similar symptoms to other strains, including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion or a runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
-
These included headaches, hand pain, forearm pain, nerve damage in his left elbow, fatigue, decreased stamina and erectile dysfunction, according to the lawsuit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
The briefings were initially planned for earlier in the week but were postponed, to the frustration of the delegation.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2025
-
San Francisco tied it in the top of the third inning when Wilmer Flores, a day removed from his frustrations against Miami, pulled a double down the left-field line that allowed Bailey to score.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
The app will occasionally pester you to turn smart features back on, though.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2025
-
Joel pesters the psychologist Gail at lunch, asking if moths are a symbol of change and growth.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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