1
as in annoyed
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bothered
to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation
I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 bugged
When Riley returned to the table, La La told me that his high profile in the city sometimes bugged her, because fans were always interrupting them, even sitting down at their table.
—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.
—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Three people told the Washington Examiner that Scott had become paranoid that Lewandowski was spying on him through his work phone and had bugged his office.
—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
Underwood went on The Bachelor as a straight man, made a connection with Randolph, broke up with her, bugged her car, and then was hit with a restraining order.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Instead, Ladinig says Pierre Haobsh bugged Henry Han's computer with a spyware app called a keylogger.
—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
The comings and goings of the many planes at the little field bugged the Marine Corps brass and rattled the hens at the chicken ranch that was once right about where Cold War-era bowlers would one day rattle the pins at Frontier Lanes.
—
Eric Duvall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Carol Meeting Manousos Doesn’t Go As Planned The meeting between the two immediately sparks conflict, with Manousos unwilling to step into Carol’s home or use the translate feature on her phone, suspicious that everything has been bugged.
—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
30 Dec. 2025
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him.
—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Three people told the Washington Examiner that Scott had become paranoid that Lewandowski was spying on him through his work phone and had bugged his office.
—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
Underwood went on The Bachelor as a straight man, made a connection with Randolph, broke up with her, bugged her car, and then was hit with a restraining order.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Instead, Ladinig says Pierre Haobsh bugged Henry Han's computer with a spyware app called a keylogger.
—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
The comings and goings of the many planes at the little field bugged the Marine Corps brass and rattled the hens at the chicken ranch that was once right about where Cold War-era bowlers would one day rattle the pins at Frontier Lanes.
—
Eric Duvall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Carol Meeting Manousos Doesn’t Go As Planned The meeting between the two immediately sparks conflict, with Manousos unwilling to step into Carol’s home or use the translate feature on her phone, suspicious that everything has been bugged.
—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugged
Verb
-
David goes on a tour of the past 250 years and is deeply annoyed by every facet of it.
-
There were more infamous incidents, such as when Dave Hodge was visibly annoyed at the network cutting away from a Montreal Canadiens-Philadelphia Flyers game tied late in regulation to show a news broadcast.
Verb
-
The messaging bothered Al-Shaair deeply and still does.
-
Neighbors bothered by crowing or other issues can file nuisance complaints with Animal Care and Control.
Verb
-
But the idea has irritated California’s billionaire class, and some have left the state in protest or threatened to do so.
-
Hasslers, the researchers found, tended to be people who irritated the study respondents but whom the respondents could not escape.
Verb
-
Shami, overwhelmed with grief, was taken to the maternity ward to be monitored, with doctors worried about her and the baby.
-
OpenAI has worried that Elon Musk's company's initial rally and subsequent fall signals retail investors may have less interest in buying, the report said.
Verb
-
In Britain, all the large predators had long since been exterminated and the smaller ones (like foxes) were ruthlessly persecuted.
-
Supporting people who have too often been, and continue to be, persecuted and othered would be a direct way to address the suffering.
Cite this Entry
“Bugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugged. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
