pester

pester — verb

1. to keep bothering someone with repeated requests, questions, or other small acti

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to keep bothering someone with repeated requests, questions, or other small actions that annoy them.

Example

Leo kept pestering his sister to lend him her bike.

pattern: pester somebody to do something

All week, reporters pestered the coach for details about the trade.

pattern: pester somebody for something

Common collocations
  • pester your parents
  • pester somebody for money
  • pester somebody with questions
  • pester somebody to help
  • stop pestering
Synonyms
  • nag

    very close, but it often suggests repeated complaining or scolding as well

  • badger

    stronger, often used when someone pushes hard for an answer

  • bother

    broader and weaker; it can describe one interruption, not only repeated ones

  • harass

    much stronger and more serious, often suggesting unfair or aggressive treatment

Antonyms
  • leave alone

    to stop bothering someone and let them be

  • let be

    to stop interfering or making requests

Grammar Patterns

pester somebody for something

pester somebody with questions

pester somebody to do something

Usage Note

The object is usually a person or group, and the annoyance often appears in patterns like 'for something', 'with questions', or 'to do something'. Intransitive use is mostly heard in commands such as 'Stop pestering!'

Common Mistakes

Leo pestered to his sister for the bike.
Leo pestered his sister for the bike.
put the person directly after 'pester'.
The children pestered their mother buy ice cream.
The children pestered their mother to buy ice cream.
use 'to' before the infinitive.

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Pester means bothering someone again and again because you want attention, an answer, or action. Nag is very close, but it often adds the idea of repeated criticism or reminders, especially at home. Badger is stronger and suggests pushing hard for information or agreement. Bother is broader and weaker, so it can describe a single interruption as well as repeated annoyance. Harass is much more serious and often suggests unfair, hostile, or threatening treatment over time. Use pester for everyday repeated annoyance rather than real abuse. For example, 'The kids pestered Dad for ice cream' sounds ordinary, while 'Reporters badgered the mayor for an answer' sounds more forceful.

nag ↗badger ↗bother ↗harass

Common collocations

Nouns

  • questions
  • requests
  • phone calls

Adverbs

Phrases

  • pester somebody for something
  • pester somebody with questions
  • pester somebody to do something
  • stop pestering

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Pester entered English in the 1500s from French empestrer, a verb about getting in the way or weighing something down. Its form was also influenced by the English word pest. Earlier English uses were about crowding, blocking, or infesting a place, and the modern sense of repeatedly annoying a person grew out of those older ideas.