bother
bother
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "bother" is /ˈbɒðər/.
Syllable Breakdown:
bother:
bɒ - /b/ (voiced bilabial plosive) + /ɒ/ (open back rounded vowel)
ðər - /ð/ (voiced dental fricative) + /ər/ (r-colored schwa)
Word Form Variations
Verb:
bother (base form, infinitive)
bothers (third-person singular present)
bothering (present participle, gerund)
bothered (past tense, past participle)
Noun:
bother (singular)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition 1: To cause trouble, annoyance, or worry to someone.
Synonyms: annoy, irritate, disturb, pester, hassle, inconvenience
Antonyms: soothe, comfort, please, calm, appease
Definition 2: To make the effort to do something; to take the trouble. Often used in negative constructions.
Synonyms: trouble oneself, make an effort, take the pains, care (in some contexts)
Antonyms: neglect, ignore, disregard, abstain
Noun
Definition 1: Trouble, difficulty, or annoyance.
Synonyms: nuisance, hassle, inconvenience, annoyance, predicament
Antonyms: ease, comfort, convenience, peace, simplicity
Examples of Use
Books:
"He knew he shouldn’t bother her with his trivial concerns, but the thought gnawed at him." (From a work of fiction, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, February 2019)
"If it doesn’t bother you, I’d like to ask a few more questions about your background." (From a non-fiction book, Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, October 2011)
Newspapers:
"Local residents complain that persistent traffic noise continues to bother them." (The Daily Nation)
"Don't bother, we've already handled the situation," the police spokesperson stated. (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"Why the rise of AI chatbots shouldn't bother journalists." (Poynter Institute)
"Many users report that intrusive pop-up ads bother their Browse experience." (TechCrunch)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (Dialogue): "Don't bother coming back if you're just going to cause trouble." (From a scripted drama series, Succession, Season 3, October 2021)
Song Lyrics: "And if you ever need a friend, don't bother to pretend, just call me." (From the song "You've Got a Friend" by Carole King, 1971)
Film (Dialogue): "It doesn't bother me that you're different; it makes you unique." (From the movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower, September 2012)
Podcast: "Listeners, we're going to take a quick break, but don't bother going anywhere, we'll be right back with more insights." (From The Daily podcast by The New York Times, June 2024)
Social Media (Tweet): "Seriously, why do people bother to comment something negative if they have nothing constructive to add? #OnlineEtiquette" (X, formerly Twitter, March 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"It's no bother at all, I'm happy to help you with that." (Common conversational phrase)
"Did you bother to check the weather before you left?" (Everyday spoken English)
"The constant buzzing of the flies was starting to bother me." (Informal conversation)
10 Quotes Using Bother
"It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand." (Mark Twain)
"Age doesn't bother me. So many of my heroes were older guys. It's the lack of years left that weighs far heavier on me than the age that I am." (David Bowie)
"Don't bother people for help without first trying to solve the problem yourself." (Colin Powell)
"If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music." (Gustav Mahler)
"I don't understand why people would want to get rid of pigeons. They don't bother no one." (Mike Tyson)
"Still and all, why bother? Here's my answer. Many people need desperately to receive this message: I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone." (Kurt Vonnegut)
"Never be ashamed! There's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth bothering with." (J.K. Rowling)
"It never bothered me when people would say, 'You only win championships because you're playing with Shaq.' It bothered me when he said it." (Kobe Bryant)
"The secret of being miserable is to have leisure to bother about whether you are happy or not. The cure for it is occupation." (George Bernard Shaw)
"If I am thinking the same as everyone why bother pushing to get it published?" (Chuck Eddy)
Etymology
The word "bother" is a bit of a mystery when it comes to its exact origins, but most experts agree it likely came into English from Irish.
It first started appearing in written English around 1718, particularly in the works of Irish writers like Jonathan Swift and Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
When it first popped up, "bother" was used as a verb with a meaning closer to "to bewilder" or "to confuse." Over time, its meaning shifted to the more common sense we know today: "to give trouble to" or "to annoy."
While its precise origin is debated, one strong theory connects it to the Irish word "bodhaire" (meaning "noise") or "bodhraim" (meaning "I deafen" or "I annoy"). It's also thought to be possibly linked to an older English word, "pother," which meant something like "a commotion" or "a fuss." So, it seems the idea of causing a disturbance, whether through noise or general confusion, has been at the heart of the word from its early days.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Bother
Not bothered: To not care or be concerned about something.
Don't bother: An instruction or suggestion not to make an effort.
What a bother! An exclamation indicating annoyance or inconvenience.
To be no bother: To be easy or not cause any trouble.
Botheration! An exclamation of mild annoyance.
Go to the bother: To make the effort or take the trouble to do something.
Too much bother: Indicating something is too troublesome or inconvenient.
Not worth the bother: Implying something isn't worth the effort or trouble it would cause.
To bother one's head about something: To worry or think a lot about something.
To bother with: To concern oneself with, or make an effort for, something or someone.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of bother from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
