1
as in annoys
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irritates
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in worries
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 disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the boss's cryptic message about changes to the company bothered me
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1
as in stirs
a state of noisy, confused activity
the whole household was in a bother, as our overnight guests were expected to arrive any minute
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nuisances
one who is obnoxiously annoying
the woman next-door is such a bother—always dropping in at the most inopportune moments!
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3
as in headaches
something that is a source of irritation
returning damaged goods is a real bother
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4
as in frustrations
the feeling of impatience or anger caused by another's repeated disagreeable acts
never let his personal bothers interfere with his responsibilities at work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bothers
R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
My fiance struggles with communication and tends to pretend nothing bothers him.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
What bothers me about that isn’t the family help itself.
—Blake O'Shaughnessy, Fortune, 3 May 2026
None of that, nor the fact Beckham missed all of 2025, bothers Harbaugh.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Picking even one or two multifunctional pieces in the spaces where clutter bothers you most can make a noticeable difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026
His approach is to look at what bothers that person the most.
—Kaicey Baylor, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
The political rhetoric aimed at ridiculing Canada bothers Johnson.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
What really bothers me is when companies pay a lot of money for mediocrity, and that happens all too often.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
This is hurtful and bothers me a lot.
—R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
My fiance struggles with communication and tends to pretend nothing bothers him.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
What bothers me about that isn’t the family help itself.
—Blake O'Shaughnessy, Fortune, 3 May 2026
None of that, nor the fact Beckham missed all of 2025, bothers Harbaugh.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Picking even one or two multifunctional pieces in the spaces where clutter bothers you most can make a noticeable difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026
His approach is to look at what bothers that person the most.
—Kaicey Baylor, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
The political rhetoric aimed at ridiculing Canada bothers Johnson.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
What really bothers me is when companies pay a lot of money for mediocrity, and that happens all too often.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothers
Verb
-
What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Or when Reggie purposefully annoys Arthur by having his son, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall), practice with his a cappella group in Arthur’s editing suite, a move that demonstrates the increasingly teasing affection between Arthur and Reggie.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Daisy is caught so off guard that her first reaction is to laugh, which irritates Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Reincke worries the hype about AI replacing radiologists entirely may discourage medical students.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
-
Bouzine says roughly 80% of his customers typically arrive on Spirit flights and worries the shutdown will have widespread effects.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
There are lots of things weightlessness disturbs, even in the short run.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Refrigerated pie crust helps this pie come together with just a few stirs of the whisk.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Previous modernization efforts The airport has previously suffered from a host of issues that have proved nuisances for travelers, including green liquid falling from the ceiling and broken escalators.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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As a bonus, these plants are generally deer resistant, which may keep these nuisances from crossing over the garden border.—
Haniya Rae,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The real story behind one of Texas’ biggest wildlife headaches starts with a decision the state made on purpose.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Some journalists draw a line between the government's mounting headaches and its escalating attacks on the messengers of that news.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Not all of Reform’s support stems from frustrations of urban decay.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
-
Instead, each character has her own distinct personality, her own specific frustrations with her life, and her own approach to working through those issues in song.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bothers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothers. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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