How to pronounce bother
Say it like BOTH-er. Bother has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOTH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bother. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BOTH
- er
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bother pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BOTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
American vs British pronunciation of bother
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: BOTH-uh.
What does bother mean?
- take the trouble to do something; concern oneself“He did not trouble to call his mother on her birthday”“Don't bother, please”
- cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations“Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me”“It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves”
- to cause inconvenience or discomfort to“Sorry to trouble you, but...”
- an angry disturbance“he didn't want to make a fuss”“they had labor trouble”
- something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness“washing dishes was a nuisance before we got a dish washer”“a bit of a bother”
Where does bother come from?
Borrowed from Scots bauther, bather (“to bother”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bother
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bother.
Questions about saying bother
How do you pronounce bother?
Say BOTH-er. The American pronunciation is /ˈbɑðɚ/. In British English it is /ˈbɒðə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bother?
Bother has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BOTH). Broken into parts: BOTH · er.
Is bother pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈbɒðə/ (BOTH-uh).