Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for pester

pester

[ pes-ter ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to bother persistently with petty annoyances; trouble:

    Don't pester me with your trivial problems.

    Synonyms: hector, harry, badger, plague, provoke, irritate, disturb, tease, vex, annoy

    Antonyms: entertain, delight

  2. Obsolete. to overcrowd.


pester

/ ˈpɛstə /

verb

  1. tr to annoy or nag continually


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈpesterer, noun
  • ˈpesteringly, adverb

Discover More

Other Words From

  • pester·er noun
  • pester·ing·ly adverb
  • pester·some adjective
  • un·pestered adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pester1

1530–40; perhaps aphetic variant of empester, impester to tangle, encumber (though pester is found earlier than these 2 words) < Middle French empestrer to hobble, entangle < Vulgar Latin *impāstōriāre to hobble, equivalent to im- im- 1 + pāstōri ( a ) a hobble, noun use of Latin pāstōrius of a herdsman or shepherd + -āre infinitive suffix ( pastor ); aphetic form apparently reinforced by pest ( -er 6 )

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pester1

C16: from Old French empestrer to hobble (a horse), from Vulgar Latin impāstōriāre (unattested) to use a hobble, from pāstōria (unattested) a hobble, from Latin pāstōrius relating to a herdsman, from pastor herdsman

Discover More

Example Sentences

And resist the urge to probe or pester for reassuring answers.

Do not continually pester either your companion or the conductor with questions, such as "Where are we now?"

Do you want me to pester every office in the government with new inquiries?

The Landhofmeisterin continued to pester the Duke to convey her to Frankfort.

"No fear, with my old woman to pester me," answered Richard, with a grim relaxing of his features.

The next year he became editor-in-chief to the "Pester Lloyd," raising that paper to a high level of excellence.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Pestalozzipester power