1
as in to worry
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 to annoy
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 to fret
to experience concern or anxiety
just get the basic concept right and don't bother about the details
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to disturb
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the boss's cryptic message about changes to the company bothered me
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in hurry
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 nuisance
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
returning damaged goods is a real bother
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4
as in frustration
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 bother
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 16 June 2025
Plus, Haugen says, many of his neighbors didn't bother to roll their bins out and then back inside on collection day.
—Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Trump has been threatening for months to use the Alien Enemies Act, of 1798, to expel Venezuelans who the Administration says belong to the Tren de Aragua gang, without the bother of going through legal proceedings.
—Ruth Marcus, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Verb
Those same elbows bothered Stanton for much of last season, but that didn’t stop him from terrorizing pitchers in October.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 16 June 2025
Plus, Haugen says, many of his neighbors didn't bother to roll their bins out and then back inside on collection day.
—Arkansas Online, 15 June 2025
Noun
The United States appeared to be in a spot of bother heading into last week’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, after three top players withdrew simultaneously with only days to go.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Trump has been threatening for months to use the Alien Enemies Act, of 1798, to expel Venezuelans who the Administration says belong to the Tren de Aragua gang, without the bother of going through legal proceedings.
—Ruth Marcus, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
-
Concerns about student overuse and misuse are still prevalent: About half of teachers worry that student use of AI will decrease teens’ ability to think critically and independently or to have persistence when problem solving, according to the study.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
25 June 2025
-
After studies had linked chronic exposure to high levels of mercury found in fish and whale blubber to developmental delays, scientists began to worry about the element’s effects on the young brain.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
If your idea of patience looks like being endlessly agreeable, never getting annoyed, and staying calm through any inconvenience….—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
17 June 2025
-
We get used to it quickly, and will be annoyed when it is replaced.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
The Heisenberg uncertainty principle teaches us that observation disturbs the observed.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Hammond, not wanting the dinosaurs disturbed, sends behavioral paleontologist Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) to Isla Sorna, where the dinosaurs have been living without human interference.—
Will Harris,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
View Recipe 08 of 10 Skillet Taco Pie Need to feed a crowd in a hurry?—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2025
-
Kourtney Kardashian is another celebrity who wasn’t in a hurry to move in with her husband Travis Barker.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
An American Werewolf in London' (1981) American dudes backpacking in England get attacked by a werewolf, one of them becomes a beastly nuisance on the full moon, and things get bloody freaky in old London Town.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
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In the longer term, the City Council would do well to reconsider enacting a city nuisance ordinance that would punish anyone rioting, looting, obstructing the public way, disrupting traffic, physically assaulting a police officer or even publicly calling for such behavior.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2025
Noun
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The variant has similar symptoms to other strains, including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion or a runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
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These included headaches, hand pain, forearm pain, nerve damage in his left elbow, fatigue, decreased stamina and erectile dysfunction, according to the lawsuit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
27 June 2025
Noun
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The briefings were initially planned for earlier in the week but were postponed, to the frustration of the delegation.—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2025
-
And after Thursday's loss to the Astros, Kepler vented some frustrations about that managerial decision.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
The app will occasionally pester you to turn smart features back on, though.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2025
-
Joel pesters the psychologist Gail at lunch, asking if moths are a symbol of change and growth.—
Noel Murray,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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