Synonyms of bothering

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• harassment
• bugging
• disturbance
• teasing
• annoyance
• pestering
• torture
• aggravation
• harrying
• importunity
• vexation
• botheration
• bedevilment
• persecution
• torment
• provocation
• molestation
• offense
• mischief
• devilment
• aggro
• devilry

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worrying
• bugging
• pestering
• annoying
• disturbing
• harassing
• intruding (upon)
• irritating
• troubling
• tormenting
• provoking
• chivying
• inconveniencing
• aggravating
• plaguing
• hassling
• irking
• fretting
• gnawing
• angering
• persecuting
• exasperating
• dogging
• vexing
• bedeviling
• invading
• distressing
• getting
• riling
• nettling
• afflicting
• rankling
• besetting
• chafing
• galling
• grating
• antagonizing
• infuriating
• piquing
• besieging
• roiling
• putting out
• agitating
• enraging
• dunning
• rasping
• maddening
• beleaguering
• peeving
• outraging
• perturbing
• obtruding
• inflaming
• incensing
• deviling
• encroaching
• trespassing
• infringing
• cutting in (on)
• butting in

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• leaving
• forgetting
• disregarding
• slighting
• obliging
• appeasing
• placating
• disarming
• pleasing
• gratifying
• conciliating
• satisfying
• delighting
• comforting
• mollifying
• consoling
• contenting
• gladdening

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

• bugging
• annoying
• irritating
• persecuting
• getting
• aggravating
• eating
• worrying
• plaguing
• irking
• exasperating
• itching
• grating
• teasing
• infuriating
• angering
• vexing
• griping
• spiting
• nettling
• riling
• burning (up)
• ruffling
• insulting
• provoking
• galling
• chafing
• getting to
• piquing
• hacking (off)
• wearing on
• harassing
• peeving
• putting out
• narking
• frosting
• rasping
• upsetting
• nagging
• offending
• hassling
• enraging
• rubbing the wrong way
• getting on one's nerves
• sticking in one's craw
• badgering
• getting one's goat
• pestering
• agitating
• setting one's teeth on edge
• heckling
• unsettling
• outraging
• antagonizing
• rousing
• harrying
• distressing
• inflaming
• baiting
• maddening
• exercising
• rankling
• fretting
• perturbing
• discomforting
• incensing
• affronting
• undoing
• disquieting
• roiling
• bullyragging
• deviling
• unhinging
• hagriding
• freaking (out)
• discomposing
• miffing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obliging
• appeasing
• placating
• pleasing
• gratifying
• pacifying
• satisfying
• conciliating
• assuring
• delighting
• reassuring
• mollifying
• propitiating
• comforting
• cheering
• consoling
• soothing
• quieting
• contenting
• gladdening
• solacing

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

• worrying
• fearing
• fretting
• stressing
• troubling
• sweating
• stewing
• fussing
• giving a hang
• longing
• yearning
• sweating blood
• pining
• agonizing
• chafing
• despairing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepting
• taking
• tolerating
• sustaining
• bearing
• enduring
• sticking out
• abiding
• stomaching

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

• distracting
• worrying
• concerning
• disturbing
• alarming
• agitating
• plaguing
• angering
• unsettling
• upsetting
• annoying
• distressing
• haunting
• bugging
• irritating
• ailing
• derailing
• exercising
• perturbing
• undoing
• fussing
• discomforting
• dismaying
• confusing
• disquieting
• rattling
• embarrassing
• unhinging
• freaking (out)
• harassing
• aggravating
• pestering
• discomposing
• distempering
• exasperating
• irking
• discouraging
• hagriding
• flurrying
• frazzling
• weirding out
• vexing
• fretting
• harrying
• riling
• nettling
• getting
• chafing
• galling
• bedeviling
• grating
• piquing
• putting off
• disconcerting
• putting out
• chivying
• peeving
• mortifying
• jarring
• flustering
• confounding
• discomfiting
• shaking up
• discountenancing
• unnerving
• disheartening
• fazing
• daunting
• demoralizing
• dispiriting
• nonplussing
• abashing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• settling
• composing
• soothing
• quieting
• calming
• alleviating
• allaying
• tranquilizing
• appeasing
• placating
• assuaging
• pacifying
• conciliating
• mollifying
• propitiating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bothering

Verb

His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year. — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

Lowe said a white shark nursery reappeared for the first time since 2011 in Santa Monica Bay, where juveniles frolic without bothering humans. — Daniel Trotta, Arkansas Online, 9 Oct. 2026

If neck pain keeps coming back or the lines bothering you keep getting deeper, talk with a doctor or dermatologist instead of relying on a gadget alone. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026

Heat, gentle pressure and rhythmic massage can simply feel good, whether your neck is bothering you or not. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026

Lane Kiffin will stroll off the LSU bus later this afternoon, acting as if none of the noise is bothering him. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026

The injury was something that had been bothering Smith throughout training camp, but the decision to get surgery wasn’t made until recently. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Sep. 2026

The list of maladies bothering Ohtani is lengthy, and grew this week. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026