# pester

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈpɛstə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #48,966

## Definitions
1. To bother, harass, or annoy persistently.
2. To crowd together thickly.

## Etymology
In the senses of “overcrowd (a place)” and “impede (a person)”: from Middle French and Old French empestrer (“encumber”), influenced by English pest. The modern sense is an extension of the sense “infest”. Comparable to English construction pest + -er (used to form frequentative verbs).

## Easily confused with
- **Pete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-pete)
- **Petr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-petr)
- **Peter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-peter)
- **pesto** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-pesto)
- **poser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-poser)
- **Petey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-petey)
- **posted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-posted)
- **poster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-poster)
- **potter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-potter)
- **porter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-porter)
- **punter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-punter)
- **pusher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-pusher)
- **putter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-putter)
- **Posner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-posner)
- **pewter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-pewter)
- **pinter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-pinter)
- **plaster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-plaster)
- **presser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pester-vs-presser)
- **peer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peer-vs-pester)
- **pest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pest-vs-pester)

## Common misspellings (9)
`epster`, `pesetr`, `pesster`, `pesterr`, `pestre`, `pestter`, `petser`, `ppester`, `pseter`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pester