bother
1 of 2verb
both·er ˈbä-t͟hər 
bothered; bothering ˈbät͟h-riŋ
ˈbä-t͟hə-
transitive verb
1
: to annoy especially by petty provocation : irk
It bothers her when people litter.
bothered by the itchy tag on his shirt
2
: to intrude upon : pester
Don't bother him when he's working.
3
: to cause to be somewhat anxious or concerned
My stomach is bothering me.
—often used interjectionally Oh, bother!
intransitive verb
1
: to become concerned
wouldn't bother with details
2
: to take pains (see pain entry 1 sense 3) : take the trouble
never bothered to ask
bother
2 of 2noun
1
a
: a state of petty discomfort, annoyance, or worry
when scenery gets mixed up with our personal bothers all the virtue goes out of it—
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton b
: something that causes petty annoyance or worry
Fixing it would be too much of a bother.
Sorry to be such a bother, but I need your help.
2
: fuss, inconvenience
doesn't want the bother of filling out all the forms again
Synonyms
Verb
- bug
- chivy
- chivvy
- disturb
- intrude (upon)
- pester
Noun
- ado
- alarums and excursions
- ballyhoo
- blather
- bluster
- bobbery
- bustle
- clatter
- clutter [chiefly dialect]
- coil
- commotion
- corroboree [Australian]
- disturbance
- do [chiefly dialect]
- foofaraw
- fun
- furor
- furore
- fuss
- helter-skelter
- hoo-ha
- hoo-hah
- hoopla
- hubble-bubble
- hubbub
- hullabaloo
- hurly
- hurly-burly
- hurricane
- hurry
- hurry-scurry
- hurry-skurry
- kerfuffle [chiefly British]
- moil
- pandemonium
- pother
- row
- ruckus
- ruction
- rumpus
- shindy
- splore [Scottish]
- squall
- stew
- stir
- storm
- to-do
- tumult
- turmoil
- uproar
- welter
- whirl
- williwaw
- zoo
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He's so easygoing. Nothing seems to bother him. Something he said at the meeting has been bothering me. The entire car trip was filled with complaints like, “Mom, David keeps bothering me!” and “Will you tell him to quit bothering me?”. Mother used to cook elaborate dinners, but with only herself to cook for, she doesn't bother anymore. “Should I call later?” “No, don't bother.” I'm not going to bother with the details. Noun Replacing the windows could be more of a bother than it's worth. I know what a bother driving into the city can be this time of day. “Sorry to bother you.” “That's okay, it's no bother at all.” I considered replacing that part of the floor but decided it wasn't worth the bother. He doesn't want the bother of filling out all those forms again. Will you mail this for me? It will save me the bother of going to the post office. See More
Recent Examples on the WebRyan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 The heat doesn’t really bother me for the most part. —Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 17 Jan. 2023 Well, there’s your answer: Hardy was hoping that a player with someone with length and effort would be able to bother DeRozan and LaVine. —Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Jan. 2023 Colder weather doesn’t bother them (although being inside does present serious challenges to survival – too dry, warm and lack of food). —oregonlive, 5 Nov. 2022 So no, the depiction of violence in birth does not bother me. —Amanda Hess, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2022 My big question, then, is: Why bother making anything? —Mike Postalakis, SPIN, 3 Aug. 2022 These days, the criticism fortunately doesn't bother her much. —Taiia Smart Young, refinery29.com, 5 July 2022 But the flood of champion hands doesn’t bother me, and the clock doesn’t trip me up, either, although this one is harder, with 25 minutes allotted. —Barbara Bourland, Good Housekeeping, 27 June 2022 Quartz Staff, Quartz, 3 Nov. 2022 The cold didn’t much bother Engstrom, who had advanced multiple sclerosis, used an electronic wheelchair and had little feeling in his legs. —Katelyn Ferral, Journal Sentinel, 21 Dec. 2022 Both of us agree the shrimp is sweet and springy and the fried chicken is a why bother. —Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2022 Publicly, the Díaz regime tried to reassure Mexicans and U.S. investors that the magonistas were only a minor bother. —Geraldo Cadava, The New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2022 The restaurant offers casual, all-day dining and prime views of the Forest Oasis waterpark and lazy river, allowing guests to find provisions without the bother of sporting a shirt or shoes. —Megha Mcswain, Chron, 19 Dec. 2022 The entire custom of giving and accepting presents is being gutted to remove from it the bother of thought and effort. —Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2022 Restaurants aren’t just places that save you the bother of cooking at home. —Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2022 Beer exported to the mainland must find its way over six miles of rough seas (which, Sam points out, saves the bother of shaking the casks). —Oliver Smith, Outside Online, 15 Jan. 2020 See More
Verb
That fact didn’t seem to bother Enfield, who shook off a question about whether Johnson could be kept on the floor without providing much offense. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 The heat doesn’t really bother me for the most part. —Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 17 Jan. 2023 Well, there’s your answer: Hardy was hoping that a player with someone with length and effort would be able to bother DeRozan and LaVine. —Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Jan. 2023 Colder weather doesn’t bother them (although being inside does present serious challenges to survival – too dry, warm and lack of food). —oregonlive, 5 Nov. 2022 So no, the depiction of violence in birth does not bother me. —Amanda Hess, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2022 My big question, then, is: Why bother making anything? —Mike Postalakis, SPIN, 3 Aug. 2022 These days, the criticism fortunately doesn't bother her much. —Taiia Smart Young, refinery29.com, 5 July 2022 But the flood of champion hands doesn’t bother me, and the clock doesn’t trip me up, either, although this one is harder, with 25 minutes allotted. —Barbara Bourland, Good Housekeeping, 27 June 2022 Noun
The idea being, again, like there’s no real chance at mobility anyway, so why bother. —Quartz Staff, Quartz, 3 Nov. 2022 The cold didn’t much bother Engstrom, who had advanced multiple sclerosis, used an electronic wheelchair and had little feeling in his legs. —Katelyn Ferral, Journal Sentinel, 21 Dec. 2022 Both of us agree the shrimp is sweet and springy and the fried chicken is a why bother. —Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2022 Publicly, the Díaz regime tried to reassure Mexicans and U.S. investors that the magonistas were only a minor bother. —Geraldo Cadava, The New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2022 The restaurant offers casual, all-day dining and prime views of the Forest Oasis waterpark and lazy river, allowing guests to find provisions without the bother of sporting a shirt or shoes. —Megha Mcswain, Chron, 19 Dec. 2022 The entire custom of giving and accepting presents is being gutted to remove from it the bother of thought and effort. —Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2022 Restaurants aren’t just places that save you the bother of cooking at home. —Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2022 Beer exported to the mainland must find its way over six miles of rough seas (which, Sam points out, saves the bother of shaking the casks). —Oliver Smith, Outside Online, 15 Jan. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
of obscure origin
Note: Early attestations strongly associate the word with Ireland, though if bother is authentically Hiberno-English, the interdental consonant must be secondary, perhaps by association with earlier pother entry 1, itself of obscure origin. A hypothetical link with Irish bodhar "deaf, confused" is improbable given that the internal dental consonant in Irish was lost by 1300.
Noun
noun derivative of bother entry 1
First Known Use
Verb
circa 1745, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
1761, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Phrases Containing bother
Kids Definition
bother
1 of 2 verb both·er ˈbät͟h-ər
bothered; bothering -(ə-)riŋ
1
a
: to upset often with minor details : annoy
b
: to intrude upon : interrupt
2
a
: to cause to be worried or concerned
b
: to become concerned
3
: to take the trouble : make an effort
don't bother to knock
bother
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the state of being bothered
b
: someone or something that bothers in a small way
what a bother a cold can be
2
: commotion sense 2, fuss
bothering 1 of 2
noun
as in harassment
the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another one more bothering, and I'm going to kick you out of here Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- harassment
- bugging
- teasing
- disturbance
- pestering
- annoyance
- harrying
- botheration
- bedevilment
- aggravation
- torture
- vexation
- importunity
- torment
- persecution
- offence
- provocation
- molestation
- offense
- devilment
- aggro
- mischief
- devilry
bothering
2 of 2verb
1
as in worrying
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
- worrying
- bugging
- disturbing
- pestering
- annoying
- harassing
- troubling
- provoking
- tormenting
- chivvying
- irritating
- chivying
- angering
- plaguing
- aggravating
- inconveniencing
- hassling
- getting
- fretting
- invading
- gnawing
- vexing
- exasperating
- dogging
- intruding (upon)
- irking
- persecuting
- bedeviling
- riling
- afflicting
- distressing
- rankling
- infuriating
- galling
- grating
- antagonizing
- besetting
- chafing
- agitating
- nettling
- peeving
- besieging
- enraging
- maddening
- devilling
- roiling
- outraging
- dunning
- putting out
- obtruding
- rasping
- piquing
- perturbing
- trespassing
- deviling
- inflaming
- encroaching
- beleaguering
- incensing
- infringing
- butting in
- enflaming
- cutting in (on)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignoring
- forgetting
- leaving
- disregarding
- slighting
- appeasing
- obliging
- placating
- pleasing
- gratifying
- satisfying
- disarming
- conciliating
- delighting
- comforting
- mollifying
- consoling
- contenting
- gladdening
2
as in bugging
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
- bugging
- annoying
- irritating
- persecuting
- getting
- aggravating
- eating
- worrying
- plaguing
- irking
- exasperating
- itching
- grating
- teasing
- infuriating
- vexing
- angering
- griping
- provoking
- riling
- insulting
- nettling
- ruffling
- galling
- harassing
- chafing
- piquing
- getting to
- nagging
- spiting
- peeving
- narking
- offending
- upsetting
- putting out
- frosting
- wearing on
- rasping
- hassling
- enraging
- badgering
- pestering
- rubbing the wrong way
- agitating
- burning (up)
- hacking (off)
- getting on one's nerves
- sticking in one's craw
- getting one's goat
- heckling
- unsettling
- antagonizing
- setting one's teeth on edge
- outraging
- baiting
- harrying
- distressing
- rousing
- inflaming
- maddening
- fretting
- rankling
- exercising
- discomforting
- perturbing
- affronting
- undoing
- incensing
- disquieting
- bullyragging
- devilling
- ballyragging
- roiling
- deviling
- unhinging
- hagriding
- enflaming
- discomposing
- miffing
- freaking (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- appeasing
- placating
- obliging
- pleasing
- gratifying
- pacifying
- satisfying
- reassuring
- conciliating
- assuring
- delighting
- mollifying
- comforting
- propitiating
- consoling
- contenting
- quieting
- soothing
- cheering
- gladdening
- solacing
3
as in fretting
to experience concern or anxiety just get the basic concept right and don't bother about the details Synonyms & Similar Words
- worrying
- fretting
- fearing
- troubling
- stressing
- fussing
- sweating
- stewing
- caring a hang
- longing
- pining
- giving a hang
- yearning
- sweating blood
- agonizing
- despairing
- chafing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- accepting
- taking
- tolerating
- bearing
- sustaining
- sticking out
- enduring
- abiding
- stomaching
4
as in distracting
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the boss's cryptic message about changes to the company bothered me Synonyms & Similar Words
- distracting
- worrying
- concerning
- disturbing
- alarming
- plaguing
- agitating
- angering
- annoying
- unsettling
- upsetting
- distressing
- irritating
- haunting
- fussing
- bugging
- undoing
- confusing
- discomforting
- derailing
- perturbing
- ailing
- exercising
- rattling
- disquieting
- embarrassing
- dismaying
- harassing
- aggravating
- pestering
- unhinging
- irking
- discouraging
- getting
- discomposing
- distempering
- exasperating
- hagriding
- vexing
- frazzling
- flurrying
- fretting
- alaruming
- weirding out
- riling
- harrying
- nettling
- bedeviling
- galling
- grating
- chivvying
- chafing
- piquing
- freaking (out)
- chivying
- disconcerting
- peeving
- putting off
- flustering
- putting out
- mortifying
- jarring
- confounding
- discomfiting
- fazing
- unnerving
- discountenancing
- disheartening
- shaking up
- dispiriting
- demoralizing
- daunting
- nonplussing
- nonplusing
- abashing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- settling
- composing
- quieting
- alleviating
- soothing
- calming
- assuaging
- allaying
- appeasing
- tranquilizing
- placating
- mollifying
- pacifying
- propitiating
- tranquillizing
- conciliating
- black damar
- black dammar
- black damp
- black death
- black diamond
- black diamonds
- black dog
- black dogwood
- black dot
- black draft
- black drink
- black drongo
- black drop
- black drum
- black duck
- black dwarf
- black dwarfs
- black eagle
- black earth
- Black East Indian
- black ebony
- black economy
- black elderberry
- black end
- Black English