BUGGED Synonyms: 131 Similar and Opposite Words

bugged

verb

past tense of bug

as in annoyed

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts these incessant phone calls are really starting to bug me

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as in bothered

to thrust oneself upon (another) without invitation I hate to bug you, but could you help me move this table?

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bugged The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, a law-enforcement agency known as NABU, had bugged Mindich’s apartment in Kyiv, and detectives picked up his conversations about Fire Point. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 The group alleged that as well as hacking their phones, journalists from the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday tapped landlines and bugged houses and cars. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 7 July 2026 When Riley returned to the table, La La told me that his high profile in the city sometimes bugged her, because fans were always interrupting them, even sitting down at their table. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 17 May 2026 Upon arriving at big-league camp this spring, Rojas said the different grip initially bugged him. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026 Three people told the Washington Examiner that Scott had become paranoid that Lewandowski was spying on him through his work phone and had bugged his office. — Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026 Underwood went on The Bachelor as a straight man, made a connection with Randolph, broke up with her, bugged her car, and then was hit with a restraining order. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026 Instead, Ladinig says Pierre Haobsh bugged Henry Han's computer with a spyware app called a keylogger. — Natalie Morales, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026 The comings and goings of the many planes at the little field bugged the Marine Corps brass and rattled the hens at the chicken ranch that was once right about where Cold War-era bowlers would one day rattle the pins at Frontier Lanes. — Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bugged

Verb

During his last visit to Tehran in 2012, Aryan Diba enjoyed the sweeping hospitality of the city, but was annoyed when he and a group of friends were disrupted by local authorities while talking to a group of women at a local fast food joint.

— Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2026
The Australian miner with closest ties to China, Forrest was annoyed by CMRG’s attack, calling on the commodity buying cartel to ‘negotiate fairly’.

— Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of annoyed

Verb

But the idea has irritated California’s billionaire class, and some have left the state in protest or threatened to do so.

— Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026
Hasslers, the researchers found, tended to be people who irritated the study respondents but whom the respondents could not escape.

— Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026

Definition of irritated

Verb

Within four months, the other members of the selectorate, worried that Beria was a threat, arrested him in a committee session and subsequently executed him.

— Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Advertisers stayed away, worried that ads would appear next to antisemitic posts, misinformation, and other objectionable content.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of worried

Verb

Although the two programs similarly target humanitarian concerns, being a TPS holder does not guarantee asylum, which requires that applicants prove they’ve been persecuted on specific grounds.

— Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026
In The Bacchae, Dionysus becomes violent only because his existence has been denied and his followers persecuted, and his maenads similarly become destructive only when pursued.

— Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026

Definition of persecuted

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bugeyes

bugged

bugged off

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“Bugged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bugged. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of bugged

verb

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