bother and fuss share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. bother means “take the trouble to do something; concern oneself”. fuss means “an excited state of agitation”. bother is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɑðɚ/
1.v.take the trouble to do something; concern oneself
“He did not trouble to call his mother on her birthday”
2.v.cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
“Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me”
3.v.to cause inconvenience or discomfort to
“Sorry to trouble you, but...”
/ˈfʌs/
1.n.an excited state of agitation
“he was in a dither”
2.n.an angry disturbance
“he didn't want to make a fuss”
3.n.a quarrel about petty points
| bother | fuss | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɑðɚ/ | /ˈfʌs/ |
| Said | BAH-thur | fuhs |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 8 | 6 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | trouble oneself, trouble, inconvenience oneself | dither, pother, tizzy |
Full entry for bother · Full entry for fuss · More comparisons