bugging 1 of 2

noun

as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another this perpetual bugging while I'm working is driving me nuts!

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bugging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bug
1
as in bothering
to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts these incessant phone calls are really starting to bug me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worrying
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bugging
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 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 Get clear about what’s bugging you. — Usa Today, USA Today, 26 May 2026 Woke up this morning, still kind of bugging me. — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 26 May 2026 Although pest control companies offer lethal solutions such as carpenter bee traps or chemical treatments, the best way to keep carpenter bees from bugging you is using stained, sealed, varnished or treated wood in building projects. — Sarah Linn april 24, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026 So, all the things people were yelling about with Southwest weren’t bugging me. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026 But so much of my journalism has been about something that’s bugging me. — Jack Denton, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugging
  1. harassment
  2. bothering
  3. worrying
  4. disturbance
  5. annoying
  6. irritating
  7. persecuting
  8. getting
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
  • 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
Definition of bothering
Verb
  • The trick is to avoid second-guessing, worrying, griping or doing other things that waste time, according to Schore.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Unanswered emails can make people feel ignored or disrespected, or jump to worrying or envisioning worst-case scenarios, such as being on the brink of getting laid off or fired.
    — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of worrying
Noun
  • The incident happened last week at the Creekside community pool after police responded to a disturbance call.
    — Marissa Armas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The newest disturbance in the Atlantic moved off the coast of Africa late Tuesday.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 13 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
  • Unfortunately, many parachute nylon sand-proof beach towels have a flat, rough texture that some consumers find uncomfortable or irritating.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Aspell, the deputy executive officer, acknowledged that the lung-irritating chemical continues to be a concern.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • Biden weaponized Law Enforcement against his political opponent, while also persecuting many other innocent people.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • Jack Hayford, the founder of the King’s University, in Texas, claimed that the film was persecuting Christians, who only wanted to be treated equally.
    — Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Definition of persecuting
Verb
  • In a desperate attempt to avoid getting their fingers caught in the cookie jar, there is a pell-mell sprint toward finding a watermark removal app that can yank out the digital watermarks.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The administration has almost always characterized Iran never getting a nuclear weapon as the overriding concern.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of getting

Browse Nearby Words

buggies
bugging
bugging off
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Cite this Entry

“Bugging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugging. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bugging

Nglish: Translation of bugging for Spanish Speakers

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