verb / noun / interjection

bother

BAH-thur/ˈbɑːðər/

Trouble or inconvenience requiring effort.

The repeated shoulder poking bothers the person trying to read.

A person trying to read frowns and rubs their temple while another person repeatedly pokes their shoulder.

Etymology

Bother probably comes from Anglo-Irish pother. The English verb first meant to bewilder or confuse, then broadened to giving someone trouble—the connection behind its present sense of annoying or worrying.

In context

Be Smart9:06

While these noises might not bother most people,

Some People Won't Be Able to Listen to This Video

OpenLearn from The Open University1:13

They hesitated to bother nurses and doctors as they are so busy.

Promoting the effective management of children’s pain in hospital

More examples

Sorry to be a bother, but I need some help.
He did not bother to read the instructions.
Oh, bother! I left my keys upstairs.

Forms

bother · bothers · bothered · bothering

bothersome adjective — Causing annoyance or inconvenience

Similar words

annoy: Specifically emphasizes irritation rather than inconvenience.
irritate: Focuses on annoyance rather than inconvenience or effort.