bothersome

adjective

both·​er·​some ˈbä-t͟hər-səm How to pronounce bothersome (audio)
Synonyms of bothersome
: causing bother : vexing

Synonyms of bothersome

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of bothersome in a Sentence

a bothersome habit of dropping trash on the floor right next to the garbage can
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
What makes this emptiness more bothersome is the cavalier way Wingard wields the imagery of rogue, militarized killers wreaking havoc on the American landscape. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 The Clippers did have to manage Mathurin’s bothersome toe in March, holding him out for four games in the middle of the month. — William Guillory, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 But rather than the satisfying sound of arrow meeting deer, Kontras heard a loud, bothersome clank. — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026 Cleaning expert Valentina Rios cautions that spilled poultry or meat juice can be particularly bothersome. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bothersome

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bothersome was in 1817

Browse Nearby Words

botherment
bothersome
Bothidae
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bothersome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bothersome. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

bothersome

adjective
both·​er·​some ˈbät͟h-ər-səm How to pronounce bothersome (audio)
: causing bother
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All