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
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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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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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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bothers
Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Now, wages have grown, but inflation bothers people.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Why this question bothers me 8.
—Wilson Santiago Burgos, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025
If the bloom's appearance bothers you, remove it by applying a small amount of oil, such as cooking oil or baby oil, to a soft cloth, then gently buffing it away in a circular motion.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Their slowness is not the thing that bothers me.
—Francesco Pacifico, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
That’s one of the main ones that bothers me.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 6 Dec. 2025
That bothers the three guard members.
—NPR, 10 Nov. 2025
Really, the accuracy is the one thing that bothers me with him.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
Feeney’s book features multiple narrators, but relativity is not an idea the series bothers to develop.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for bothers
Verb
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One of its two young sibling protagonists, Amber (Bianca Belle), channels her feelings about the recent death of her mother into drawings of creatures born out of her troubled imagination, some of whom enact violence against the classmate who annoys her.—
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There's just one thing about Claire Danes that annoys Matthew Rhys.—
Verb
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In other words, alcohol disrupts hydration, irritates the gut, inflames blood vessels, messes with sleep, and forces your liver into metabolic overdrive.—
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Without this process, the air would be colder and drier, which irritates and constricts the airways and can lead to inflammation.—
Verb
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Which is another thing that worries him.—
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Stewart worries that the listings risk running afoul of copyright on product photos, or of agreements with her own suppliers — themselves mostly independent brands — that prohibit reselling products on Amazon.—
Verb
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Another possibility is that there is a relic magnetic field that exists between galaxies which remains from the early universe and disturbs low-energy gamma-rays.—
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The water is perfectly clear — until someone brushes the side of the cave or disturbs the soft bottom, sending fine silt particles billowing into the beam of a headlamp.—
Noun
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In Milwaukee, nuisances include loud music, loitering and littering.—
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While those invaders are mainly nuisances, cockroaches are a different story.—
Noun
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From plane seatback organizers to carry-on cup holders, these accessories can save you from boarding delays and other headaches—starting at $9.—
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The decades-old technology struggles to account for last-minute payroll changes and that can create all sorts of headaches for employees and departments alike.—
Noun
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There are no speakers in the songs of MJ Lenderman other than MJ Lenderman, whose diffidence and exhaustion are in all-too-perfect lockstep with the psychic frustrations of his listeners.—
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After the third giveaway happened with six seconds left in the second quarter, Schaefer expressed his frustrations with his trademark jacket removal.—
Verb
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As the gang is gearing up for this fight, Mike pesters Will to the point that all the latter can do is roll his eyes.—
Cite this Entry
“Bothers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bothers. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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