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
Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
My stomach has been bothering me all day.
—Dave Skretta, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
Ibrahim keeps bothering me endlessly, touching my leg and thigh.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 4 Jan. 2026
Ask her if anything is bothering her.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
What that translates to is that the generator and the propulsors can do their thing without bothering one another in flight.
—New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2025
Any offensive struggles certainly weren’t bothering Miller on the other side of the court — the true mark of a two-way player.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 Dec. 2025
Treatment starts with testing to make sure juniper is the allergen that's bothering you.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 8 Dec. 2025
What specifically was bothering you?
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
Verb
Try taking just 10 or 15 minutes at the same time each day to write out what's bothering you.
—Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
My stomach has been bothering me all day.
—Dave Skretta, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
Ibrahim keeps bothering me endlessly, touching my leg and thigh.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 4 Jan. 2026
Ask her if anything is bothering her.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
What that translates to is that the generator and the propulsors can do their thing without bothering one another in flight.
—New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2025
Any offensive struggles certainly weren’t bothering Miller on the other side of the court — the true mark of a two-way player.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 Dec. 2025
Treatment starts with testing to make sure juniper is the allergen that's bothering you.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 8 Dec. 2025
What specifically was bothering you?
—CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothering
Noun
-
Zabik is facing two counts of inciting destruction of life or property, menacing, and harassment.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
And Kelly keeps cashing in, converting Hegseth’s harassment into campaign donations.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Times of amazing progress, but also worrying backslides to dogmatic tribal ideologies and an extremely uncertain future.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Homeowners can prep, cook, and bake without worrying about the impact on another room.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That thing’s been bugging on him for a while.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
29 Dec. 2025
-
Then Julian dropped one of his wireless earbuds into Olympia’s purse, using it as a crude bugging device.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Writing essays, in the same way, lubricates my writing of fiction and vice versa—by distracting me and taking my thoughts elsewhere.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The glare from the sun had been reflecting in the lenses and distracting Smith.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In 2021, the California Coastal Commission said the display should be moved from La Jolla Cove, citing potential disturbance of sea lions at Point La Jolla and a failure of organizers to secure necessary permitting in time.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, appetite changes and social withdrawal are also red flags, in addition to thoughts about dying or suicidal ideations.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Fresh air helps clear out lingering smells, dust, and potentially irritating VOCs, says Mitchell.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Meanwhile, discussions with siblings, relatives and neighbors might be irritating or worse.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At a minimum, the investigation should be conducted swiftly, and Maryland residents should be informed of accountability steps taken to address these concerning allegations.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Jan. 2026
-
His daughter then explained Tate's content to him, leading Graham to find the influencer's reach particularly concerning, given that Tate is also under multiple investigations for human trafficking and rape.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bothering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothering. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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