pester
To annoy someone by bothering them again and again.
pester in a sentence
- The puppy would pester Dad for walks, tugging at his trouser leg every five minutes.
- My little brother would pester me all morning to let him join our den in the garden.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to pester?
- Aplease
- Bsoothe
- Ccalm
- Dbother
Show the answer
D: bother. The other three mean the opposite of pester.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to pester?
- Abother
- Bsoothe
- Cnag
- Dannoy
Show the answer
B: soothe. The other three mean nearly the same as pester.
Words that mean something similar
bother, annoy, nag
Words that mean the opposite
soothe, calm, please
More words about behaviour & manners
- plunder: To steal goods by force, especially during a battle or raid.
- prim: Very neat, proper and easily shocked by rude things.
- privilege: A special right or advantage that only some people have.
- prohibit: To officially say that something is not allowed.
- provoke: To deliberately make someone angry or cause a reaction.
- quell: To calm or put an end to something, such as fear or a fight.
- rash: Acting too quickly without thinking about what might happen.
- rebellious: Refusing to obey rules or people in charge.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test