I will play Sudoku then instead of continuing to bother you.
Source: tatoeba (1430)
Bother
/ˈbɔðə(ɹ)/
Synonyms for "bother" (422 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (85)
abashabradeabuse a privilegeaddleaddle the witsadoafflictaggravateaggravationagitateagitationailannoyannoyanceanxietyawkwardnessbad newsbadgerbafflebafflement
Show 49 more words
baitball upbe atbe the matterbecloudbedazzlebedevilbedevilmentbefuddlebefuddlementbesetbesetmentbewilderbewildermentbindblisteringborebotherationbothersomenessbrawlbristlebroilbrouhahabrown offbugbullyragburdenburdeningburn upburstbustlecan of wormschafechaoschargingchivycloudclumsinesscommotioncomplicate mattersconcernconfoundmentconfuseconfusioncornercrashing borecrucifydazedazzle
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (126)
demanddevildevilmentdifficultydilemmadisaccommodatedisadvantagediscombobulatediscombobulationdiscomfitdiscomfiturediscomfortdiscommodediscommoditydiscomposediscomposuredisconcertdisconcertednessdisconcertiondisconcertment
Show 86 more words
discouragedismaydisobligedisorderdisorganizationdisorganizedisorientdisorientationdisquietdistemperdistractdistressdisturbdisturbanceditherdogdoggingdonnybrookdonnybrook fairdownerdragdrive up the walldustupeffortembarrassembarrassmentembroilmentencroachencroach uponenigmaentangleevilexactionexasperateexasperationexercisefashfatiguefazefeery-faryfermentfidgetinessfitfixflapflummoxflurryflusterflusterationflustrationflutterflutterinessfogfoofarawfracasfrazzlefree-for-allfreightingfrenzyfretfuddlefuddlementfussfuss atfussinessgallgetgive concerngnawgreat adogripehandfulharassharassmentharmharryharryinghasslehazeheadachehecklehectorhelter skelterhelter-skelterhoundhounding
Verb(9 words)
Related words (211)
hubbubhullabalooimpose onimpose uponimposing an onusimpositionincommodeincommodityinconsideratenessinconvenienceinconveniencyinconvenientnessinflictioninfuriateintrudeirkirritantirritateirritationjam
Show 145 more words
jumblelatherlaying onload with careloadingloading downmaelstrommake free withmattermazemeleemessmiffmistmix upmoidermolestmolestationmuddlemuddlementmysterynagneedlenettlenonplusnudgenudzhnuisanceobtrude uponobtrusivenessoversteppainpalaverpeck of troublespeevepell mellpell-mellperplexperplexitypersecutepersecutionperturbperturbationpestpesterpetpickpick onpicklepiqueplacidplagueplightpluck the beardpotherpredicamentpresume onpresume uponpresumptuousnessproblemprovokepuckerput output to inconvenienceput to itput to troublepuzzlepuzzlementquandaryracketraise hellrampageranklerattlerestlessnessriddleriderileriotroilrough-and-tumbleroughhouserowrubruckusructionrufflerumpusscramblescrapesea of troublesshakeshindyshufflesongspasmspurtstewstirsweatswirlswivettake a libertytake libertiestasktaskingtaxingteasethornthrow into confusiontiretizzyto doto-dotormenttrialtroubletroublesomenesstrytry the patiencetumultturmoiltweak the nosetwittertwitterationunassurednessuncertaintyunhandinessunhingeunquietunsettleunsettlementunwarranted demandunwieldinessuproarupsetvexvexationvexatiousnessvisitvortexweightingwhirlworrimentworry
Verb(21 words)
incommodeinconvenienceinconvenience oneselfirkedirksirritateirritatesmolestsnarknettleniggledperturbspesteredput outragriletroubletrouble oneselfvexvexes
Show 1 more word
Noun(21 words)
inconvenienceinconveniencesinconveniencinginflictionirkingirritatenaggingnarksnigglenigglesnuisancepainpain in the asspain in the neckpesteringrigmarolesrufflingshuckstroublesundertake
Show 1 more word
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: annoyance, hassle, trouble, abash, abrade.
- Sentence evidence is available for bother, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "bother".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "bother"
Keep "bother" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "bother" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "bother", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "bother" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
35 entriesaffectagitateattemptbear onbear uponchargecharge upcommoveconfusedifficultydisconcertdispleasedisruptiondisturbanceeffort
Showing 16 of 35 words.
More specific
11 entriesCollocations
15 entriesa botherbother aboutbother tobother withbotheredbothererbotheringbothersbothersomegreat botherlittle botherminor botherno botheroh botherreal bother
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
25 translations across 16 languages.
Arabic
1 entries- كلف verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 費事 /费事 verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Dutch
1 entries- moeite doen verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Estonian
2 entries- vaeva nägema verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- vaevuma verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Finnish
4 entries- huvittaa verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- jaksaa verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- vaivautua verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- viitsiä verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
French
1 entries- bâdrer verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Hebrew
2 entries- הטריח את עצמו verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- טרח verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Hungarian
1 entries- veszi a fáradságot verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Italian
3 entries- disturbarsi verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- prendersi la briga verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- preoccuparsi verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Māori
1 entries- whakatōwenewene verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Norwegian
1 entries- gidde verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Portuguese
1 entries- dar-se ao trabalho verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Spanish
2 entries- molestarse en verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- tomarse la molestia de verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Thai
1 entries- ก่อกวน verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Turkish
2 entries- uğraşmak verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
- zahmet etmek verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Venetan
1 entries- preocuparse verb (to take the trouble, to trouble oneself to do something)
Sample sentences
21 total sentences available.
Don't bother to call on him.
Source: tatoeba (29143)
Don't bother to call me.
Source: tatoeba (29145)
Do not bother to come to my home.
Source: tatoeba (29153)
Showing 4 of 21 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "bother"?
Closest matches include annoyance, hassle, trouble, abash, abrade.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "bother"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.