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
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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
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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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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
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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
Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
In some cases, these kinds of candidates have not even bothered to vote, let alone hold public office.
—Garry South, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Peter Cappelli, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
If even a die-hard Huppert admirer like me has trouble getting through it, why would a casual cinephile bother?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bother
Verb
Even if he’s never bothered to pause and consider it.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
In some cases, these kinds of candidates have not even bothered to vote, let alone hold public office.
—Garry South, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Noun
Experts have a long history of torturing us with predictions about how technology will wipe us out, first our jobs and then just getting rid of us altogether because humans are a bother.
—Peter Cappelli, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
If even a die-hard Huppert admirer like me has trouble getting through it, why would a casual cinephile bother?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
-
Helen worried about Pip’s socialization.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The results will ease the concerns of some Democrats who worried about the possibility of a runoff between Kiley and Republican candidate Michael Stansfield, who was in second place until Friday.—
Mathew Miranda
June 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
One of the more common ways bear encounters escalate is when an off-leash dog runs toward a bear, annoys it, and then comes sprinting back to its owner with an angry predator in pursuit.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
And get annoyed when people spell it wrong anyway?—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
For best results, apply with a damp beauty sponge using a stippling motion rather than sweeping strokes, which can disturb coverage and leave streaks.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
-
Stray electric and magnetic fields that can slightly disturb electrons have far less influence on the nucleus.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Options trading in the fund has turned bearish in a hurry and is now pointing toward further downside.—
Oliver Renick,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
-
Sure, there are lots of places, but all of the best ones fill up in a hurry.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
And even then, referees seemed to regard injuries as nuisances that stopped the flow of the game.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
As Part 108 and other advances allow autonomous drones to surge, regulators will also have to consider public concerns about privacy, malicious actions and nuisance.—
Agamemnon Crassidis,
The Conversation,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
This first patient had fever, headaches, muscle pain, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhea and abdominal pain, among other symptoms.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
Earlier this year, Patagonia sued a drag queen and environmental activist performing under the name Pattie Gonia in a trademark dispute, and the feud is quickly becoming a PR headache for the eco-friendly apparel brand.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Kiley left the Republican Party earlier this year, citing frustration with partisanship.—
Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
-
In Ghana, there also remains frustration at the old FIFA rules which dictated that once a player had represented a country at youth level, he was bound to it forever.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Bonner brought the bull market with him to CSUF, bringing his pressing, pestering and passionate style of play to a fanbase starved for success.—
Brian Robin,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
-
The character, Günter Van Ellis (Ivan Sherry), is seen pestering Oh Father (Daveed Diggs) and Homelander at the White House.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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