tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.
children teased the dog
Examples of pester in a Sentence
Leave me alone! Stop pestering me!
one resident pestered the condo board about every little thing
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Reese pestered Cardoso at the top of the key and tapped rebounds up and out of her reach on the offensive boards.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026 Bonner brought the bull market with him to CSUF, bringing his pressing, pestering and passionate style of play to a fanbase starved for success.—
Brian Robin,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026 Kids and teens have always pestered their parents to buy them things.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
7 June 2026 The character, Günter Van Ellis (Ivan Sherry), is seen pestering Oh Father (Daveed Diggs) and Homelander at the White House.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pester
Word History
Etymology
modification of Middle French empestrer to hobble, embarrass, from Vulgar Latin *impastoriare, from Latin in- + Late Latin pastoria tether — more at pastern