Meaning & use
pesters
Last updated
“pesters” is a form of “pester”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Troubles or annoys someone repeatedly, especially by asking for something many times.
Grammar: Takes an object: pester someone. Often used with about or for to show what is being asked.
Patterns
- pester someone about something
- pester someone for something
- pester someone to do something
The children pestered their mother for ice cream all afternoon.
Stop pestering me about the party—I already said I might not go.
He pestered his boss for a raise until she finally agreed to discuss it.
verbtransitive
Bothers or irritates someone with repeated unwanted actions or presence.
Grammar: Takes an object: pester someone. Can be used for repeated physical or verbal bothering.
Patterns
- pester someone with something
- pester someone constantly
The flies pestered the horses in the hot field.
My little brother kept pestering me while I was trying to study.
Word forms
| base form | pester |
|---|---|
| past tense | pestered |
| past participle | pestered |
| -ing form | pestering |
Common combinations
- pester someone for something
- The kids pestered their dad for money to buy candy.
- pester someone about something
- She pestered him about the broken window until he fixed it.
- pester someone to do something
- They pestered the teacher to cancel the test.
- stop pestering
- I wish you would stop pestering me while I'm on the phone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- annoy
- Annoy is more general and can mean a single act of irritating someone, while pester suggests repeated, persistent bothering.
- harass
- Harass is stronger and often implies aggressive or threatening behavior, whereas pester is usually milder and about nagging.
- badger
- Badger means to pester someone with relentless questions or demands; it is similar but often more intense and focused on questioning.
Opposites
Word family
- pestering noun
- The act of annoying someone repeatedly.
- pesterer noun
- A person who pesters others.
Commonly confused: pesters or pester?
pesters vs pester
Pester is the base form; pesters is used with he, she, or it in the present tense.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'pestered' is correct because the action happened in the past. 'Pester' is the base form and does not fit with 'she' in the present; 'pestering' needs a helping verb like 'is'; 'pester to' is not a correct pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pesters”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.