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

Derived Forms

• ˈpesterer, noun
• ˈpesteringly, adverb

Other Words From

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

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 )

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

Example Sentences

The perception from many is that pestering issues aren’t being addressed.

From Los Angeles Times

There is of course the danger that instead of being pestered for a smartphone, parents will find themselves being pestered for a piece of Barbie merchandise - which may be just as unwelcome.

From BBC

As she waits for her fiancé, who is delayed by inclement weather, to arrive, her guests buzz around her like candy-colored flies, pestering her.

From New York Times

As we stand and begin to climb the embankment back to the road, Samir resumes his good-natured pestering.

From Literature

So next season I started pestering people months before.

From BBC

Related Words

• annoy
• badger
• bedevil
• hassle
• hector
• hound
• irk
• nag
• tease
• torment