2 syllables: bo, thered. Stress on bo.
BAH-thurd
/ˈbɑðɚd/
bothered is pronounced BAH-thurd (/ˈbɑðɚd/). It has two syllables (bo-thered), with the stress on "bo". Bothered is the past tense or past participle of bother, meaning to cause someone to feel troubled or annoyed, or to feel troubled or annoyed oneself. In everyday use it often functions as an adjective meaning annoyed or disturbed, as in “I was bothered by the noise.” It conveys a mild to moderate level of discomfort or concern and is commonly found in casual conversation and reporting of feelings or states.
Bothered is the past tense or past participle of bother, meaning to cause someone to feel troubled or annoyed, or to feel troubled or annoyed oneself. In everyday use it often functions as an adjective meaning annoyed or disturbed, as in “I was bothered by the noise.” It conveys a mild to moderate level of discomfort or concern and is commonly found in casual conversation and reporting of feelings or states.
"I was bothered by the loud construction outside my window."
"She looked bothered after hearing the news."
"Are you bothered by the high heat in the room?"
Phonetically it’s /ˈbɒðərd/ in UK English and /ˈbɑːðərd/ in US English. The syllable stress is on the first syllable: BOTH-erd. The first consonant cluster /b/ is voiced, followed by /ɒ/ (British short o) or /ɑː/ (US broad a). The /ð/ is the voiced dental fricative, like in 'this'. The second syllable features a schwa-less vowel in some rapid US pronunciations and a reduced /ər/ in many accents. End with /d/. Audio reference: you can listen to /ˈbɑːðərd/ in online dictionaries or pronunciation platforms such as Forvo or YouGlish for both accents.
Common mistakes include replacing /ð/ with /d/ or /z/ (bodered or bodzred), misplacing the tongue for /ð/, and mispronouncing the vowel in the first syllable as /ɑ/ or /ɔ/ in contexts where /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ is expected. Another frequent error is pronouncing the ending as /-ed/ like /-ɪd/ or /-ɪt/ rather than /-ərd/ or /-ərd/. To correct: keep the dental fricative /ð/ with the tongue between the teeth and the voice on; ensure the first syllable uses a short o in British English or a broad a in American English; finish with a clear alveolar /d/ or a lightly reduced /d/ depending on speech rate.
US: /ˈbɑːðərd/ with a broad /ɑː/ in the first syllable, rhotic /r/ realization in the second syllable, final /d/ clearly pronounced. UK: /ˈbɒðə(r)d/ or /ˈbɒðəd/ with a short /ɒ/ and a more reduced second syllable, rhoticity varies; many speakers reduce to /-ə(r)d/. AU: often /ˈbɒðəd/ or /ˈbɔːðə(d)/ with a broad a in the first vowel, moderate rhoticity, final consonant lightly released. These differences reflect vowel quality and rhoticity patterns; listening for /ð/ and the final /d/ helps distinguish them.
Because it pairs a voiced dental fricative /ð/ with a vowel cluster that shifts in fast speech, and the second syllable often reduces to a schwa or a rhotic /ər/ depending on accent. The combination of /ð/ with adjacent alveolar /t/ or /d/ flavors and the potential for vowel reduction makes consistent articulation tricky, especially in rapid dialogue. Focusing on the dental place of articulation for /ð/, keeping the tongue lightly between teeth, and practicing slow, careful differentiation of /ɒ/ vs /ɑː/ in the first syllable can reduce mispronunciations.
A key, word-specific point is the strong initial stress on the first syllable with a dental fricative /ð/. In careful speech, you’ll maintain a crisp /ð/ sound before the schwa-like or /ər/ segment of the second syllable, ensuring the /d/ at the end is fully released. In fast speech, the second syllable may reduce to /-ərd/ or /-əd/; recognizing the preserved /ð/ helps you keep clarity and avoid skipping the critical consonant sound between syllables.
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US: rhotic, clear /r/ in second syllable, final /d/ released. UK: shorter /ɒ/ in first syllable, possible nonrhotic or softly rhotic, effort on /ð/ and light /d/. AU: tends toward /ɒ/ or /ɔː/, variable rhotic presence, final /d/ may be flapped in casual speech. IPA references: US /ˈbɑːðərd/, UK /ˈbɒðə(d)/, AU /ˈbɒðəd/. Articulation tip: maintain dental placement for /ð/ in all accents; sustain voicing longer for clarity in slower delivery; in fast speech, the /ə/ reduces to a schwa while /ð/ remains prominent.
Bothered derives from bother, which dates to Middle English breden or bodren, with related forms in Old English and earlier Germanic languages indicating annoyance or trouble. The noun bother appears in the 16th century, while bother as a verb likely emerged in the 17th century, initially carrying meanings of vexation or trouble caused by external factors. By the 18th and 19th centuries, bother gained colloquial traction in English, especially in informal registers, to describe both external disturbances and internal feelings of discomfort. The suffix -ed marks past tense or past participle usage. The core semantic trajectory ties to the sense of perturbing or hindering, evolving to emphasize emotional states (annoyance, concern) rather than physical interference alone. First known uses appear in English texts around the late medieval period, with stable modern forms established by the Victorian era, when “bothered” consistently conveyed unfamiliarity, annoyance, or emotional disturbance in both written and spoken forms. Over time, it maintained informal, conversational tone while remaining acceptable in semi-formal contexts when describing feelings or reactions to events. Etymologically, bother shares roots with related Germanic words denoting trouble and agitation, reflecting a cross-linguistic pattern of expressing disruption in daily life.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "bothered" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "bothered"
-red sounds
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