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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
But don't bother asking your travel agent to book you a room at the New Old Lompoc House, the hotel where Sousé deposits a very drunk bank auditor named J. Pinkerton Snoopington (Francis Pangborn). Tom Gliatto, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 The rationale for stripping you of your right to go after bad actors is usually the same: Businesses shouldn’t be bothered with frivolous lawsuits. Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
Season eight of Love Is Blind will follow singles from Minneapolis, Minnesota and is already in some bother with the National Labor Relations Board! Movie icon Robert De Niro leads Netflix’s most prestige TV launch for February, in the political thriller Zero Day. Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2025 That should make entering and exiting the vehicle less of a bother. New Atlas, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bother
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bother
Verb
  • That’s more than the average user would use, so don't worry about about hitting your allowances.
    StackCommerce Team (Sponsored), PC Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Throughout the night, Booker read letters from constituents worried about losing access to affordable health care, emphasizing that these concerns were not abstract but deeply personal for millions of people.
    Nik Popli, Time, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Waltz now has a bunch of top officials, and their teams, who are annoyed at him for drawing bad publicity.
    Marc Caputo, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
  • However, standing in the middle of a road to capture the Eiffel Tower in the background is not only unsafe but can also annoy locals.
    Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Indian Ocean is visible through the gardens’ palms, but beach access from the villas is purposefully obstructed—the resort’s way of making sure not to disturb the nearly 300 sea turtle nests lining the shore.
    Jennifer Flowers, AFAR Media, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The medical team wheels the body out of the cabin under a curtain on a room service trolley so as not to disturb the passengers, then uses the flower shop walk-in freezer as a morgue.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Possessions from some of those who were on the Titanic, some likely abandoned in a hurry, can also be seen on the 3D model.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
  • If the Twins don’t get their act together in a hurry, those 10 remaining games against the White Sox might not mean much.
    Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Several hundred additional complaints by public school districts across the US claim the platforms have created a public nuisance that’s undermining the educational system.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
  • At first, the un-washable Fisk murals are a nuisance to the new mayor, but there are ways to take advantage of the situation.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Early signs of the disease include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, while half of all HPS patients also go through headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal pain.
    Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Symptoms include depression, disinterest in the job, listlessness, apathy, insomnia, stomach upset, headache and dizziness.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Jeff: When meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Chastain indicated he was mystified and offended by Logano’s post-race comments expressing frustration with the Trackhouse Racing driver.
    Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Several owners of food and drink establishments have spoken with The Star in recent months to share their frustrations about property crimes affecting businesses across Kansas City.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Kansas City’s ability to pester the game’s best relievers became a defining trait of the 2024 team.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Nothing had gone right for the Mariners all night as the smaller, quicker Cardinals pestered them with speed, energy and a barrage of three-pointers.
    Devin Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bother.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bother. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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