1
as in annoys
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 irritates
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 worries
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 disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the boss's cryptic message about changes to the company bothered me
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1
as in stirs
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 nuisances
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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3
as in headaches
something that is a source of irritation
returning damaged goods is a real bother
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4
as in frustrations
the feeling of impatience or anger caused by another's repeated disagreeable acts
never let his personal bothers interfere with his responsibilities at work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bothers
Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many.
—Linley Sanders, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Picking even one or two multifunctional pieces in the spaces where clutter bothers you most can make a noticeable difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026
An office may ask that employees not wear perfume that bothers their colleagues.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
His approach is to look at what bothers that person the most.
—Kaicey Baylor, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
The political rhetoric aimed at ridiculing Canada bothers Johnson.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
What really bothers me is when companies pay a lot of money for mediocrity, and that happens all too often.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
That notion clearly bothers Schoen and the organization.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
None of that, nor the fact Beckham missed all of 2025, bothers Harbaugh.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many.
—Linley Sanders, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Picking even one or two multifunctional pieces in the spaces where clutter bothers you most can make a noticeable difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026
An office may ask that employees not wear perfume that bothers their colleagues.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
His approach is to look at what bothers that person the most.
—Kaicey Baylor, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
The political rhetoric aimed at ridiculing Canada bothers Johnson.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
What really bothers me is when companies pay a lot of money for mediocrity, and that happens all too often.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
That notion clearly bothers Schoen and the organization.
—Dan Duggan, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothers
Verb
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What is the pettiest thing that annoys you during a race weekend?—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Or when Reggie purposefully annoys Arthur by having his son, Carmelo (Jalyn Hall), practice with his a cappella group in Arthur’s editing suite, a move that demonstrates the increasingly teasing affection between Arthur and Reggie.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Daisy is caught so off guard that her first reaction is to laugh, which irritates Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With irrigation shrinking and solar replacing crops, longtime farmworker Rosa Ramirez worries about disappearing jobs.—
Jeff St. John,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
More than anything, Arca worries about safety in the shelter — but not from the war.—
Theia Chatelle,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
There are lots of things weightlessness disturbs, even in the short run.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Refrigerated pie crust helps this pie come together with just a few stirs of the whisk.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If data centers eventually are included, for example, neighbors could take a hit due to impacts on electricity costs, water access, industrial noise and other nuisances that can come into play when a megaproject moves in next door.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Not all ants are bad for the garden—some help with soil health and pest control—but fire ants and carpenter ants can be serious nuisances or hazards.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The real story behind one of Texas’ biggest wildlife headaches starts with a decision the state made on purpose.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
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Some journalists draw a line between the government's mounting headaches and its escalating attacks on the messengers of that news.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Patriots are also expected to trade for AJ Brown, a wide receiver known as much for his sideline frustrations and off-field antics as his production.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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After spending more than two million dollars on VIP jet charter services, his frustrations with the industry reached a boiling point.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bothers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothers. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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