bothering 1 of 2

noun

as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another one more bothering, and I'm going to kick you out of here

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bothering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bother
1
as in worrying
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bugging
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 fearing
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 distracting
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 bothering
Verb
The one issue that is bothering me at or just before launch is the CPU's Wear and Tear management. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026 The arnica in this gel can help treat sore muscles, aches, swelling, or other pains that are bothering you, too. — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 11 Aug. 2026 Once your child starts spilling the beans about what’s bothering them, be understanding. — Jenna Autuori-Dedic, Parents, 4 Aug. 2026 Hip still bothering Springs Springs lasted just four innings after issuing a season-high five walks, throwing 86 pitches — only 51% of them strikes — and gave up his 28th home run of the season, the most of any pitcher in the league. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Sharks already frequent Southern California beaches, usually without bothering anyone. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 Wasps are generally more interested in building their colony and finding food than in bothering people. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 July 2026 But after going ahead, England manager Thomas Tuchel tried to shut the back door by throwing on countless defenders and not bothering to attack Argentina anymore. — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 15 July 2026 As early as 2010, TV stations noticed people were sending short videos shot vertically, making some wonder why people weren’t bothering to rotate their phones. — Hernan Lopez, Variety, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothering
  1. harassment
  2. worrying
  3. bugging
  4. distracting
  5. disturbance
  6. annoying
  7. irritating
  8. concerning
Noun
  • Per a source familiar with Wednesday’s meeting, the WNBA remains invested in maintaining the safety and well-being of players and addressing online harassment whenever possible.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The harassment from teammates began after that, per the lawsuit, and included exclusion from team meetings, refusal to acknowledge her presence, laughing at her and threatening her only friend not to hang out with her.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of harassment
Verb
  • The trick is to avoid second-guessing, worrying, griping or doing other things that waste time, according to Schore.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Unanswered emails can make people feel ignored or disrespected, or jump to worrying or envisioning worst-case scenarios, such as being on the brink of getting laid off or fired.
    — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of worrying
Verb
  • However, in-flight cabin etiquette is only one part of what’s bugging travelers this summer.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026
Definition of bugging
Verb
  • Practicing meditation, visualization, or deep breathing may help in distracting from the discomfort of a full bladder for a short time.
    — Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Aug. 2026
  • At least 10 million people use the Opal app, whose premium tier costs $100 annually, to lock themselves out of distracting apps, while others pay $59 for the Brick to do the same.
    — Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of distracting
Noun
  • The incident happened last week at the Creekside community pool after police responded to a disturbance call.
    — Marissa Armas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The newest disturbance in the Atlantic moved off the coast of Africa late Tuesday.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Verb
  • Of course, this would depend on whether the managers choose to pick their strongest teams in what for some is a meaningless, even annoying extra fixture, for squads who just want to go home.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • The Manchester City star is fully back to his 2024 Ballon d’Or-winning self, marshaling the middle, providing amazing connection between the front and back and even annoying the French players with some gamesmanship near the end.
    — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • Unfortunately, many parachute nylon sand-proof beach towels have a flat, rough texture that some consumers find uncomfortable or irritating.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Aspell, the deputy executive officer, acknowledged that the lung-irritating chemical continues to be a concern.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • Speaking to voters Of course, there are skeptics everywhere in this arena, not least concerning the two main protagonists.
    — Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • There is also a broader issue concerning the commercial future of the World Cup.
    — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of concerning

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Cite this Entry

“Bothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothering. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bothering for Spanish Speakers

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