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noun

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bother differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of bother are annoy, irk, and vex. While all these words mean "to upset a person's composure," bother suggests interference with comfort or peace of mind.

don't bother me while I'm reading

In what contexts can annoy take the place of bother?

The words annoy and bother are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, annoy implies a wearing on the nerves by persistent petty unpleasantness.

their constant complaining annoys us

When can irk be used instead of bother?

Although the words irk and bother have much in common, irk stresses difficulty in enduring and the resulting weariness or impatience of spirit.

careless waste irks the boss

When is it sensible to use vex instead of bother?

The synonyms vex and bother are sometimes interchangeable, but vex implies greater provocation and stronger disturbance and usually connotes anger but sometimes perplexity or anxiety.

vexed by her son's failure to clean his room

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 bother
Verb
Forrest Frank has lost nearly 30,000 of his millions of Instagram followers since sharing his views on Charlie Kirk's assassination, but the Christian singer isn't bothered by it. Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 16 Sep. 2025 No one has bothered to figure out the degree to which that alters the scaling laws of AI models until now. Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
But, in Los Alamitos, the troop presence hasn’t been a bother for the surrounding community, Hasselbrink said. Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 8 July 2025 Indeed, the dog didn't seem to have any problems moving with the crate around him, even managing to change direction without bother. Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
  • Coliseum officials did weigh the possibility of sidestepping the permitting issue altogether — or at least letting the purchasers worry about it.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
  • As the respiratory virus season arrives, some still worry that so many statements and counter-statements about vaccines will ultimately create a chilling effect.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • According to Radar Online, one British royal family member who was especially annoyed at Camilla’s trip was Charles’ own sister, Princess Anne.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Still, Shannon is down in the dumps and annoyed by Tamra’s neediness to be forgiven for past sins.
    Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • If a person’s disability is disturbing or harming other residents, allowing that disturbance to continue could be an unreasonable accommodation and therefore not protected by Fair Housing laws.
    Kelly G. Richardson, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
  • These events, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), can disturb GPS signals, threaten astronauts, damage satellites and in extreme cases, even knock out power grids on the ground.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Okunlola, meanwhile, hasn’t allowed a single sack or quarterback hurry in 59 pass blocking snaps while playing 120 snaps, mostly at left guard.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The senior finished with three sacks, 11 tackles, two quarterback hurries and one pass deflection to help lead Menlo to a 35-0 victory on the road over Branham.
    Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While a nuisance for gardeners, in this nuisance lies opportunity.
    Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Jet lag isn't merely a nuisance of frequent travel.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Longer sales cycles and shrinking deal sizes are becoming big headaches for sales leaders.
    Sarah Goodall, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The world’s most valuable company may now be facing another China headache, just days after Beijing deemed the chipmaker to have violated the country’s antitrust legislation.
    Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Cruz’s rebuttal didn’t touch on Carlson’s claims of frustration with Netanyahu, which former congressman Matt Gaetz said are largely true based on his relationship with Kirk.
    Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
  • However, there is already frustration with him as the starter and fans have been asking about when a change could occur.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • No kid brother tagging along, pestering him with questions, pushing up on his social circle.
    Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Williams missed four games last year from a hamstring strain that pestered him throughout the season.
    Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

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