Pesteringly

The adverb 'pesteringly' describes a manner of acting characterized by persistent, annoying, or troublesome behavior, often involving repeated requests, interruptions, or demands. It suggests a relentless pursuit of something, often causing frustration or irritation in the target of the behavior. The action is frequently intrusive and lacks consideration for the other party's time, space, or feelings. This relentless and often irritating persistence is the core meaning of the word. The intensity can vary; it might describe gently nagging or aggressively harassing. The key characteristic is the unwanted and repeated nature of the action, designed to elicit a response or achieve a desired outcome, frequently at the expense of the target individual's comfort or peace.

Pesteringly meaning with examples

• The young child, wanting a cookie, followed her mother around the kitchen, pesteringly repeating, 'Can I have a cookie now? Please? Just one?' Her constant requests wore down her mother's resolve until, finally, she relented. The child's pesteringly insistent requests were hard to ignore because of their volume and continual presence and persistence.
• The telemarketer, despite repeated refusals, continued calling, pesteringly trying to sell their product. Their relentless calls, often at inconvenient times, were a constant source of annoyance, disrupting dinners and leisure time, thus wearing on the patience of anyone receiving the calls. This pesteringly intrusive behavior made the company feel desperate.
• The journalist, knowing that his source didn't want to make a statement, followed the source around for days, pesteringly asking questions and trying to force a response. This unwanted attention and pressuring was a violation of the source's privacy. He aimed at eventually extracting information, regardless of the cost to the source’s peace.
• During the meeting, the project manager kept pesteringly interrupting colleagues, demanding updates and clarification, even when they were clearly preoccupied. His persistent need for immediate answers created a tense atmosphere and hindered productivity. This disruptive behavior created unnecessary pressure and interfered with the team's flow.