to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
- one resident pestered the condo board about every little thing
- aggravate,
- annoy,
- bedevil,
- chafe,
- devil,
- dog,
- dun,
- exasperate,
- fret,
- gall,
- get,
- gnaw,
- grate,
- hassle,
- irk,
- irritate,
- nettle,
- peeve,
- persecute,
- pique,
- put out,
- rankle,
- rasp,
- rile,
- roil,
- torment,
- vex,
- worry
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Frequently Asked Questions About pester
How does the verb pester contrast with its synonyms?
Some common synonyms of pester are annoy, harass, harry, plague, tease, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.
constantly pestered with trivial complaints
When could annoy be used to replace pester?
The words annoy and pester can be used in similar contexts, but annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.
you're doing that just to annoy me
When can harass be used instead of pester?
In some situations, the words harass and pester are roughly equivalent. However, harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.
harassed on all sides by creditors
When would harry be a good substitute for pester?
Although the words harry and pester have much in common, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.
the strikers had been harried by thugs
In what contexts can plague take the place of pester?
The words plague and pester are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.
plagued all her life by poverty
When might tease be a better fit than pester?
While in some cases nearly identical to pester, tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.
children teased the dog
When is worry a more appropriate choice than pester?
The meanings of worry and pester largely overlap; however, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.
pursued a policy of worrying the enemy
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Time Traveler for pester
The first known use of pester was in 1548
See more words from the same year