Synonyms for bother

noun

1. Trouble or worry

   vexation, fuss, inconvenience, anxiety; see care 2.

2. A cause of trouble or worry

   nuisance, problem, concern, care; see difficulty 1, 2, trouble 2.

verb

1. To take trouble

   put oneself out, fret, go out of one's way, make a fuss about, fuss (over), take pains, make an effort, exert oneself, trouble oneself, concern oneself, be concerned about, worry about; see also try 1, worry 2.

2. To give trouble

   annoy, plague, vex, pester, molest, irritate, irk, disturb, provoke, harass, badger, hound, heckle, aggravate, tease, goad, pursue, torment, torture, taunt, try one's patience, carp at, nag, hector, harry, exasperate, nettle, cross, exacerbate, intrude upon, interrupt, discommode, inconvenience, hinder, impede, bore, afflict, grate on, bedevil, beset, browbeat, tantalize, bug*, peeve*, get on one's nerves*, give one a pain*, drive one nuts*, drive up a wall*, put out*, gripe*, get one's goat*, put one's nose out of joint*, get under one's skin*, ride*, pick on*, needle*, get in one's hair*, hassle*, get on one's back*, noodge*, give one a hard time*, get on one's case*; see also disturb 2.

   Antonyms help, please, delight.

3. To be disturbing

   disturb, distress, upset, hurt, trouble, be the matter, displease, disconcert, worry, agitate, disquiet, perturb, discompose, embarrass, unsettle, discomfit, pain, grieve, bewilder, confuse, perplex, ruffle, mortify, chagrin, gnaw at, jar, make one lose sleep, discombobulate*, rub the wrong way*, go against the grain*, jangle the nerves*; see also sense 2.

bother implies disturbance of one's peace of mind and may suggest mild perplexity or anxiety; annoy implies temporary disturbance of mind caused by something that displeases one or tries one's patience; vex implies a more serious source of irritation and greater disturbance, often intense worry; irk stresses a wearing down of one's patience by persistent annoyance; to tease is to annoy by persistent, irritating actions, remarks, or requests; plague suggests mental torment comparable to the physical suffering caused by an affliction