as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another
one more bothering, and I'm going to kick you out of here
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fearing
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 distracting
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bothering
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the girl let on that her classmate had indeed been bothering her, poking her in the back and face with his fingers — but did not say the boy had threatened to kill her, according to the police report.
—Jeff Ernsthausen, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026
But a few days before Sonya disappeared, something was bothering her, her mother said.
—Claire Osborn, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
Jamal Murray’s right shoulder was bothering him during a 1-for-14 outing Saturday.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Mass incarceration has led to a fast-growing bloc of citizens who either are legally barred from voting or have just stopped bothering.
—Kevin B. Smith, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026
Stop bothering me with things that don’t make sense.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Bottom line is, whatever was bothering him in Atlanta that was keeping him out had nothing to do with the illness (this) week.
—Sam Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Feb. 2026
One Florida resident reportedly hired a local mover without bothering to determine if the company was licensed, only to run into a boatload of trouble.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Like, cool, got the game, but now the TV feels small, and suddenly the thermostat situation is bothering you, too.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the girl let on that her classmate had indeed been bothering her, poking her in the back and face with his fingers — but did not say the boy had threatened to kill her, according to the police report.
—Jeff Ernsthausen, ProPublica, 23 Mar. 2026
But a few days before Sonya disappeared, something was bothering her, her mother said.
—Claire Osborn, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026
Jamal Murray’s right shoulder was bothering him during a 1-for-14 outing Saturday.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Mass incarceration has led to a fast-growing bloc of citizens who either are legally barred from voting or have just stopped bothering.
—Kevin B. Smith, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026
Stop bothering me with things that don’t make sense.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Bottom line is, whatever was bothering him in Atlanta that was keeping him out had nothing to do with the illness (this) week.
—Sam Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Feb. 2026
One Florida resident reportedly hired a local mover without bothering to determine if the company was licensed, only to run into a boatload of trouble.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothering
Noun
-
Adults who disclose abuse or harassment by employers risk losing their jobs and economic security.—
Anne P. DePrince,
The Conversation,
23 Mar. 2026
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Find more information on how to report workplace harassment and discrimination on the Department of Human Rights' website.—
Stephen Swanson,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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How can other young women and girls who wants to be creators online push through that embarrassment and stop worrying about what other people are thinking?—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the start of the war in Iran has many European leaders worrying about a deeper break within NATO.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So, all the things people were yelling about with Southwest weren’t bugging me.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
-
But so much of my journalism has been about something that’s bugging me.—
Jack Denton,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Other than that, the differences in the format were small, distracting only because of how ingrained the cadences of the original are.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Mar. 2026
-
During the costly possession when the Rebels let the shot clock expire with 41 seconds left, Thienou surprised her coach by passing up a shot while the crowd was roaring and clearly distracting the visitors.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Police said Gerhardt Facko, a Palos Hills resident, was shot following a 911 call to an address on Cour Versailles about a domestic disturbance.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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Children may present with sensory sensitivities, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal symptoms, or anxiety, all of which influence tolerance to clinical procedures.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes, rage bait can be relatively harmless – a recipe that contains disgusting food combinations or someone annoying their pet, partner or sibling.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
1 Dec. 2025
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But what’s been annoying me even more is that these women should have been trained by producers to start recording on their own cell phones if drama starts to unfold after cameras go down.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While it’s powered by retinol, an ingredient known to be irritating, this treats my under-eye with care.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
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The choice to portray her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But these ailments, including the recent seven-game absence with the groin strain, have to be concerning.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
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Particularly concerning to me is the relationship between America’s Muslims and Jews.—
Joshua M. Davidson,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothering. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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