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 chest pain that had been bothering her finally let up. — Tyler Quattrin, Twin Cities, 19 June 2026 For now, the Royals hope to figure out exactly what’s bothering him. — Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 That shift may help explain why some couples notice their partner’s scent bothering them more during periods of conflict. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026 If certain smells or experiences are bothering you, here are some other tips for managing postpartum odor and sweat. — Dory Zayas, Parents, 28 May 2026 Brunson turned on the boosters in the second half, attacking the Spurs' defense and showing little sign that his knee was bothering him. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026 That appears to be bothering people, as the broadcast noted some pointed conversations among the Spanish team during the hydration break. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026 Instead, the reviews were largely muted, with analysts not bothering to adjust their revenue estimates for 2027 or 2028, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 17 June 2026 Travis was snapped having a blast bothering Jason as the duo attended a match between Jupiter Links GC and The Bay Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 3. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 2 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
  • Court paperwork shows Deshong is facing charges of harassment, indecent assault and stalking.
    — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • He has been accused by more than 80 women of misconduct, ranging from harassment to rape, over decades and in multiple jurisdictions around the world.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of harassment
Verb
  • This common form of anxiety arises when dogs are left alone for an amount of time, often worrying that they will permanently be left behind.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
  • Taken together, the actions signal a worrying return to a reality where people with disabilities are pushed to the margins of society, advocates said.
    — Annie Ma, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of worrying
Verb
  • The necessity of the trip at all is what's been bugging me.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026
  • His doctor had been bugging him for years to get a colonoscopy because of his age, but Driggers declined.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
Definition of bugging
Verb
  • Driving into the estate down a dirt track, you’re met with concrete walls that frame the space with gallery-like precision, directing your eyes toward geological features rather than distracting from them.
    — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026
  • There was some online angst over whether Swift was distracting from football — while the NFL itself capitalized on her fandom.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of distracting
Noun
  • Even tiny electromagnetic disturbances can disrupt the quantum states that perform calculations, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the system.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • However, about 15 minutes into the flight, a pilot reported a passenger disturbance to air traffic control.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of disturbance
Verb
  • Weird; annoying even – but the floaters did not seem urgent.
    — Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
  • My biggest concern about adding a tracking device around Mya’s neck was annoying her or creating disruption.
    — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 13 May 2026
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • Unanswered workplace messages are a common, irritating phenomenon, often perceived as deliberate avoidance despite recipients being active elsewhere.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Morales turns another character who can be irritating into one whose lot, and whose needs, demands attention.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • Last month, six women interviewed by the Times described concerning behavior by Platner, including excessive drinking, infidelity, and, in one account, physical intimidation.
    — Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Most concerning to Slok is what happens if this gap grows as AI deployment and productivity gains continue to sputter.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 July 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bothering for Spanish Speakers

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