bothered 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbä-t͟hərd How to pronounce bothered (audio)
Definition of botherednext
as in annoyed
subjected to and reacting with irritation got all hot and bothered by his brother's constant unsolicited advice

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bothered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of bother
1
as in worried
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

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2
as in irritated
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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3
as in feared
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 alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the boss's cryptic message about changes to the company bothered me

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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 bothered
Adjective
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star as childhood pals turned hot and bothered frenemies having quite the torrid love affair as adults in a sumptuous and quite haughty bad romance. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 May 2026 After a frustrating conversation with a hotel staffer about the air conditioning, a hot and bothered Fuller threw on a ball cap, turned it backward and recorded a rant on his cellphone. — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 1 May 2026
Verb
All but one of them seemed all that bothered by the national anthem issue. — Patricia Babcock McGraw Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 The mathematics and computer science graduate, who spent two years in the Peace Corps, launched Netflix by mailing DVDs in red envelopes to customers bothered by Blockbuster Video chain’s practices and late fees. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bothered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothered
  1. annoyed
  2. worried
  3. irritated
  4. alarmed
  5. upset
  6. disturbed
  7. bugged
  8. concerned
Adjective
  • Kermode was curious, if not slightly annoyed about all this cryptic communication and the request for a secret rendezvous.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Yamamoto also seemed annoyed that his catcher could be letting his batting woes affect his work behind the plate.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoyed
Verb
  • Democrats also swept all three available school board seats, just two years after Republican state lawmakers made the traditionally nonpartisan elections partisan, a change that Democratic candidates worried would put them at a disadvantage.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Yet Wall Street may have found opportunity in the same slowdown that worried AI's biggest backers.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Salazar’s attempt to distance herself from the increasingly-unpopular president could potentially appease moderate and independent voters, but her TV ad also irritated Trump personally — as well as some of his hard-core MAGA supporters.
    — Michael Vasquez, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Some develop in varicose veins; others form where a needle or IV has irritated a vein.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of irritated
Verb
  • That move sparked enormous street protests in Israel, and alarmed many Israeli citizens overseas.
    — Daniel Brook, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The new company has nearly $80 billion in debt, with leverage of six-and-a-half times trailing earnings, a ratio that has alarmed investors and triggered credit rating downgrades.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of alarmed
Adjective
  • There was no upset this time in the season opener for TCU men’s basketball as the Horned Frogs rolled to a 98-59 win over Lindenwood Monday night at Schollmaier Arena.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Hafley was naturally upset about Ollie Gordon’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that turned into a 3rd and 5 into a 3rd and 20 that the Dolphins didn’t convert during the Patriots’ 21-0 run.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of upset
Verb
  • Caruso is particularly disturbed about her intent to fire LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
  • An officer responded to PSA, and police said about two pallets of cards were stolen from the truck and a third was disturbed.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Verb
  • And as the team moved into the couple’s guest house on their San Diego rental property, the filmmakers feared that the home was bugged and ordered a device to try to de-bug it, without success.
    — Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
  • He’s bugged Jay — the two met online and married two years ago before opening their first restaurant last year — to make sure that includes his crispy duck panang curry.
    — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of bugged
Verb
  • Opponents of Proposition 40 are concerned that the threat of wealth taxes will lead to billionaires continuing to leave the state, resulting in a long-term decrease in state income tax revenue.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Campaign promises Castro says residents continue to be concerned about development, corruption and public safety.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of concerned

Browse Nearby Words

botherations
bothered
bothering
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Cite this Entry

“Bothered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothered. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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