| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | provoke, tease |
| Synonyms: | annoy, badger, baffle, bait, bedevil, beleaguer, charm, entice, fascinate, frustrate, gnaw, harass, harry, keep hanging, lead on, make mouth water, pester, plague, taunt, thwart, titillate, torment, torture, worry |
| Antonyms: | disenchant, repulse, turn off |
| Main Entry: | bother |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | harass, annoy; give trouble |
| Synonyms: | afflict, aggravate, agitate, alarm, badger, bedevil, bore, browbeat, carp at, concern, cross, discommode, disconcert, disgust, dismay, displease, disquiet, distress, disturb, eat, embarrass, exacerbate, exasperate, goad, grate on, grieve, harry, hinder, hurt, impede, inconvenience, insult, intrude upon, irk, irritate, molest, nag, needle, nudge, pain, perplex, perturb, pester, pick on, plague, provoke, pursue, put out, ride, scare, spite, tantalize, taunt, tease, torment, trouble, upset, vex, worry |
| Antonyms: | aid, help, please |
| Main Entry: | cajole |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | attempt to coax; flatter |
| Synonyms: | apple polish, argue into, banter, beguile, blandish, bootlick, brownnose, build up, butter up, con, crowd, deceive, decoy, delude, dupe, entice, entrap, get around, get next to, hand a line, induce, influence, inveigle, jolly, lay it on thick, lure, make up to, maneuver, massage, mislead, oil, play up to, push, rub the right way, seduce, snow*, soap, soft-soap, soften, spread it on, stroke, suck up to, sweet-talk, sweeten up, tantalize, tempt, urge, wheedle, work on, work over |
| Antonyms: | bully, force, repel |
| Main Entry: | dangle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | suspend |
| Synonyms: | brandish, depend, droop, entice, flap, flaunt, flourish, hang, hang down, lure, sling, sway, swing, tantalize, tempt, trail, wave |
| Main Entry: | fascinate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | captivate, hold spellbound |
| Synonyms: | absorb, allure, animate, arouse, attach, attract, beguile, bewitch, charm, compel, delight, draw, enamor, enchant, engage, engross, enrapture, enslave, ensnare, enthrall, entice, entrance, excite, fire, gladden, hypnotize, infatuate, interest, intoxicate, intrigue, invite, kindle, lure, mesmerize, overpower, overwhelm, pique, please, provoke, ravish, rivet, seduce, spellbind, stimulate, stir, subdue, tantalize, tempt, thrill, titillate, transfix, transport, win |
| Antonyms: | bore, disenchant, disenthrall, disinterest, repel, tire |
| Main Entry: | interest |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hold the attention of |
| Synonyms: | affect, amuse, appeal, appeal to, arouse, attract, be interesting to, concern, divert, engage, engross, entertain, enthrall, excite, fascinate, grab, hook, intrigue, involve, lure, move, perk up, pique, please, pull, sit up, snare, tantalize, tempt, titillate, touch, turn on |
| Antonyms: | bore, bother, disenchant, disinterest |
| Main Entry: | pester |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bother, harass |
| Synonyms: | annoy, badger, be at, bedevil, beleaguer, bug*, disturb, dog*, drive crazy, drive up the wall, fret, get at, get in one's hair, get on one's nerves, get to, harry, hassle, hector, hound, importune, insist, irk, mess with, nag, nudge, pick at, plague, provoke, remind, ride*, tantalize, tease, torment, work on, worry |
| Antonyms: | delight, make happy, please |
| Main Entry: | taunt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | provoke, reproach; tease |
| Synonyms: | affront, bother, deride, dig*, disdain, dump on, flout, insult, jab, jeer, lout, mock, offend, outrage, put down, quiz, rally, revile, ridicule, scoff at, scorn, scout, slam*, slap, sneer, swipe at, tantalize, torment, twitter, upbraid |
| Notes: | taunt meant to mock or tease someone; taut means tightly stretched or tense |
| Antonyms: | compliment, praise, respect |
| Main Entry: | tease |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | aggravate, provoke |
| Synonyms: | annoy, badger, bait, banter, be at, bedevil, beleaguer, bother, chaff, devil, disturb, dog*, gibe, give a hard time, gnaw, goad, harass, harry, hector, importune, jive, josh, lead on, mock, needle, nudge, pester, pick on, plague, put down*, rag, rally, razz, rib, ride, ridicule, roast, send up, slam, snap, sound, spoof, swipe at, tantalize, taunt, torment, vex, worry |