as in annoyed
subjected to and reacting with irritation
got all hot and bothered by his brother's constant unsolicited advice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in worried
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irritated
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 feared
to experience concern or anxiety
just get the basic concept right and don't bother about the details
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the boss's cryptic message about changes to the company bothered me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bothered
Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
More than 60 million travelers pass through its airport each year, yet, historically, few bothered venturing into town unless on their way to a board meeting.
—Diana Hubbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
Jim Mustian, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
That kind of thing has bothered the Cavs for years.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bothered
Adjective
Winnipeg Jets, 25-26-10 Feb. 6: 28 Sean: 25 Dom: 25
The perfect deadline: Addition by subtraction
Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn are the exact sort of player archetypes that get traditional contending GMs overly hot and bothered.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
More than 60 million travelers pass through its airport each year, yet, historically, few bothered venturing into town unless on their way to a board meeting.
—Diana Hubbell, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Some family members don’t object to snorkeling Some family members of Pearl Harbor survivors said they were not bothered by such official excursions, though some expressed a desire to also be permitted to snorkel at the site.
—Jim Mustian, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
That kind of thing has bothered the Cavs for years.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bothered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothered
Adjective
-
These mothers shared vulnerable, deeply personal thoughts about topics such as mastitis and feeling annoyed with their kids, but they largely weren’t getting paid.—
Kristen Martin,
The Atlantic,
13 May 2026
-
One of Kate’s regular design clients, Molly is quick to judge and has little patience or filter when annoyed.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Still, Davies is worried the demand for compute far outstrips capabilities to repurpose waste heat, and could lead to more data center construction that would further burden environmental capacity versus extend it.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
-
Those earlier polls left some Democratic Party leaders worried that Democrats might get shut out entirely from the general election.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Some highbrow writers had a right to be irritated by the concept of chick lit, though that wasn’t the fault of chick lit authors themselves.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
4 May 2026
-
His last-minute, mixmaster approach to closing out the transit negotiations irritated several participants, but the end result was a fiscally responsible and transformative restructuring of mass transit in northern Illinois.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For the last several months, wildlife experts have been alarmed by a large influx of dead and emaciated seabirds washing up on California beaches.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement are alarmed by the speed of the rollbacks, noting that protections won through generations of sacrifice have been weakened in little more than a decade.—
Kim Chandler,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
If the Cavaliers pull the Game 7 upset, Game 1 will play out at Madison Square Garden.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
-
Away to a Newcastle team that has won just one of their last six league matches and has little to play for at this stage of a disappointing season, there could be an opportunity for West Ham to cause an upset.—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
She has also been disturbed by the increase in what looks to her like a lack of trust in science, as seen in falling vaccination rates and rising instances of diseases like measles.—
Deepti Hajela,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
When to Plant Watermelon Seeds Most seed catalogs recommend direct sowing watermelon seeds into gardens or pots because watermelons don’t like to have their roots disturbed.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
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
Verb
-
Patients were concerned too, and some asked Hulse what would happen to the new clinic after her team left.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Vets weigh in on why dogs start grazing and when to be concerned.—
Diana Bocco,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bothered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothered. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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