| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | annoy |
| Synonyms: | be at, be on the back of, bother, bug, bum*, dog, drive up the wall, exasperate, gall, get, get on one's nerves, get to, give a hard time, grate, hack, irk, irritate, nag, needle, nettle, peeve, pester, pick on, pique, provoke, tease, vex, wig |
| Notes: | to aggravate is to make something worse, while to exacerbate is to increase something's bitterness or harshness aggravate means 'to add to' an already troublesome or vexing matter or condition while irritate means 'to vex, annoy, or chafe' irritate means 'inflame' (originally 'excite, rouse'); aggravate means 'worsen' |
| Antonyms: | appease, gladden, make happy, mollify, soften |
| Main Entry: | attend |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | be present at |
| Synonyms: | appear, be a guest, be at, be present, be there, bob up, catch, check in, clock in, come to light, drop in, frequent, go to, haunt, make an appearance, make it, make the scene, pop up, punch in, punch the clock, ring in, show, show up, sit in on, time in, turn up, visit |
| Antonyms: | be absent |
| Main Entry: | hound |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | chase, badger |
| Synonyms: | annoy, bait, be at, be on one's back, be on one's case, be on one's tail, beat the bushes, bird-dog, bother, bug, chivy, curdle, dog*, drive, give chase, goad, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, hector, hunt, hunt down, impel, leave no stone unturned, persecute, pester, prod, provoke, pursue, rag on, rag, ride, scout, scratch, scratch around, search high heaven, tail, take out after, track down, turn inside out, turn upside down, yap at |
| Antonyms: | leave alone |
| 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: | 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 |
| Main Entry: | vex |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | distress, bother |
| Synonyms: | abrade, afflict, aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, be at, chafe, depress, displease, disquiet, disturb, eat*, embarrass, exasperate, fret, gall*, get in one's hair, get under one's skin, give a bad time, give a hard time, grate on, harass, harry, hassle, infuriate, irk, irritate, molest, needle, nettle, offend, peeve, perplex, pester, pique, plague, provoke, put out, rasp, ride, rile, tease, tick off, torment, trouble, turn off, upset, worry |
| Antonyms: | aid, assist, help, please, soothe |