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
Some interns hesitate to contact their former colleagues for fear of bothering them, but most people are eager to help out young talent. — Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026 Contreras rarely takes days off but asked for a day off Sunday with his leg bothering him. — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothering
  1. harassment
  2. worrying
  3. bugging
  4. distracting
  5. disturbance
  6. annoying
  7. irritating
  8. concerning
Noun
  • All 10 members of the court voted to extend the application of the Maria da Penha law for situations such as persecution, threats and harassment outside the home.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The turmoil contributed to the early retirement of longtime Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen, who said years of harassment, threats and accusations stemming from false election-fraud allegations took a personal toll.
    — Drew Askeland, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of harassment
Verb
  • But gone was the tension of worrying about pleasing a high-strung, perfectionist host.
    — Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But the size of the debt is not the only thing that is worrying.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 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
  • Women were made to feel that their bodies were somehow offensive, distracting, or inconvenient.
    — Robin Givhan, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Now, a cross-sectional study based on a registry of fatal US motor vehicle crashes has found that the love of her albums may have even contributed a statistically significant bump in deadly traffic accidents, presumably by distracting drivers.
    — Mike McRae August 18, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of distracting
Noun
  • This mosquito is more associated with human disturbance including containers left out in people’s backyards will draw them.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The cameras are designed to attract minimal attention and create as little disturbance as possible.
    — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Verb
  • Kids in all three countries loved learning dances from TikTok and annoying their siblings.
    — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • Be sure to use a fragrance-free, gentle detergent to avoid irritating sensitive skin with any residue.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Aug. 2026
  • There’s something uniquely irritating about being forced to listen to whatever a stranger has decided to watch on their phone.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • The clandestine manner in which LG monitors were installing ad-pushing software onto third-party devices, however, remains seriously concerning.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The organization says while a lot of work has been accomplished to bring those numbers down, any death in the community is concerning, every loss affects the community.
    — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 24 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 25 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of bothering for Spanish Speakers

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