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
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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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bother
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2026
Lee received a technical foul after being bothered by an offensive foul call on Grant Williams and immediately was sent off by head referee John Goble.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
The Edmonton Oilers reached the summer of 2025 in a spot of bother.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Verb
Common Pests and Problems Hardy cyclamen planted in ground are rarely bothered by pests.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2026
Lee received a technical foul after being bothered by an offensive foul call on Grant Williams and immediately was sent off by head referee John Goble.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
Enjoying an excellent day in front of a vociferous home support at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the 36-year-old found himself in a spot of bother when his tee shot at the par-four 11th curved into the rough on the right of the fairway.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
The Edmonton Oilers reached the summer of 2025 in a spot of bother.
—Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
-
The Pentagon worries that an expanding Chinese arsenal could be a prelude to invading Taiwan or an attempt to beat America's missile defenses, Panda said.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Other recent departures underscore the tension between some researchers worried about safety and top executives eager to generate revenue.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Rosebush Pruning, by contrast, feels designed to annoy us and push us away.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2026
-
In this short 4-minute video from CoComelon, baby JJ does a number of things that may hurt or annoy someone near him, including sitting on his sister’s painting and slurping loudly on his juice.—
Marilyn La Jeunesse,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mist the soil instead of overhead watering, which can disturb the seeds.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Managing the genetic health of such a small population is essential for the species’ long-term viability, and the hair-collection method offers a noninvasive way to gather vital data without disturbing the wombats in their burrows.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
After Webb, the certainty in the rotation drops off in a hurry.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
It’s brought a little joy and self-care back to a part of my routine that usually happens in a hurry.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Intentionally obstructing the roadway, especially while impeding emergency access, is a misdemeanor in Minnesota, as is being a public nuisance by blocking the right-of-way.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Feb. 2026
-
For rulers abroad, the Puerto Rican people were mostly a nuisance to be managed.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Unexpectedly, though, operators stumbled across an issue with ground support equipment that could cause more headaches for a crucial moon mission that has already slipped at least a month from its target launch date.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Running out of memory, setting up a new phone or simply wanting peace of mind, Picture Keeper removes the headache from backups.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Inflation has weighed on shoppers, and customers have voiced frustration over cluttered stores and inconsistent merchandise that strayed from the retailer’s identity as a polished, affordable-chic chain.—
Emily Lorsch,
NBC news,
10 Feb. 2026
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DeRozan said Sacramento’s poor play was the source of his outward show of frustration following an alley-oop dunk by Zion Williamson in the third period.—
HECTOR AMEZCUA,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Every day the press corps descended on both teams with pestering questions, some of which were obvious plants to promote products.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Before the Michigan game, the main knocks against Fears were his penchant for trash talk on the court and his ability to pester opponents and draw fouls on them.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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