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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After the picnic, the brother and sister have some fun by pestering a neighboring cat.—Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025 New York struggled with the pestering Indiana defense, leading to 17 turnovers as a team.—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 31 May 2025 The superstar center also turned the ball over five times, as Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault pestered him with one last adjustment.—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 18 May 2025 Alex Caruso, the Thunder’s Chihuahua yapping up the Nuggets’ trees, pestered Aaron Gordon in search of a desperation turnover.—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 May 2025 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
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