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

Other Word Forms

• pesterer noun
• pesteringly adverb
• pestersome adjective
• unpestered 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

Now she endured the indifferent kisses of her grandchildren as if she was being pestered by mosquitoes.

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I’m going to pester my parents so they’ll take me to see Cleopatra’s Needle when it arrives.

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He repeatedly pestered the office of the attorney general of the state of Washington.

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He was arrested and later released on bail on condition that he did not harass, pester or intimidate Harshita.

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She added: "Your constant pestering, badgering and, eventually, attendance at their home address on a dark evening in December was unwarranted."

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Related Words

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