harass

ha·rass | \ hə-ˈras

How to pronounce harass (audio)

; ˈher-əs, ˈha-rəs

How to pronounce harass (audio)

\

harassed; harassing; harasses

Definition of harass

transitive verb

1a : exhaust, fatigue I have been harassed with the toil of verse— William Wordsworth

b(1) : to annoy persistently was harassing his younger brother

(2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct was being harassed by her classmates claims that the police were unfairly harassing him

2 : to worry and impede by repeated raids harassed the enemy

Other Words from harass Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about harass

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Choose the Right Synonym for harass

worry, annoy, harass, harry, plague, pester, tease mean to disturb or irritate by persistent acts. worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation. pursued a policy of worrying the enemy annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks. you're doing that just to annoy me harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power. harassed on all sides by creditors harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment. the strikers had been harried by thugs plague implies a painful and persistent affliction. plagued all her life by poverty pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks. constantly pestered with trivial complaints tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath. children teased the dog

Examples of harass in a Sentence

She was constantly harassed by the other students. He claims that he is being unfairly harassed by the police.

Recent Examples on the Web Despite the House Un-American Activities Committee harassing many friends and neighbors (including my dad, who worked in radio and TV), for us kids, life on Green Valley Road was pretty idyllic. — Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, "Newsletter: The ABCs of reopening," 29 Apr. 2020 My concern is that those same people were harassing Blasey Ford. — Emily Larsen, Washington Examiner, "‘Please don’t politicize it’: Biden accuser uneasy about Republicans and those ‘harassing Blasey Ford’ using her story," 27 Apr. 2020 Anti-houseless ordinances need to end right now as this policy gives the green light for police to sweep, harass and arrest people, making their lives a living hell just for sitting. — oregonlive, "Portland Commissioner Position 1 candidates explain what city policy changes they’ll immediately support if elected," 24 Apr. 2020 Iranian gunboats have harassed U.S. and other allied ships in the Gulf for years, particularly around the strategically pivotal Strait of Hormuz, through which a third of the world's oil supply travels. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, "Trump says he directed Navy to "destroy" Iranian vessels that harass U.S. ships," 22 Apr. 2020 Citations issued include killing a protected bird, disturbing nesting birds and harassing nesting birds. — Rebecca Hennes, Houston Chronicle, "Three teens cited for allegedly shooting, killing animals at Galveston sanctuary over Easter weekend," 17 Apr. 2020 There’s more opportunity for tension between anglers and private landowners, stories of landowners harassing river users and anglers trespassing. — Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, "What’s Gained and Lost by Privatizing River Access?," 13 Apr. 2020 Bears are ubiquitous in Quebec, harassing campers and raiding garbage dumps and trash containers behind houses. — Gerald Almy, Field & Stream, "Spring Bear Hunting Forecast for the U.S. and Canada," 2 Apr. 2020 Harassment, advocacy Schreibvogel returned to the pages of The News in 1997, claiming that local officials were harassing his business. — Tom Steele, Dallas News, "Before he was Joe Exotic, ‘Tiger King’ star owned Arlington pet store," 2 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'harass.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Statistics for harass

Last Updated

5 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Harass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harass. Accessed 9 May. 2020.

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More Definitions for harass

harass

verb

English Language Learners Definition of harass

: to annoy or bother (someone) in a constant or repeated way

: to make repeated attacks against (an enemy)

See the full definition for harass in the English Language Learners Dictionary

harass

ha·rass | \ hə-ˈras

, ˈher-əs \

harassed; harassing

Kids Definition of harass

1 : to annoy again and again

2 : to make repeated attacks against an enemy

harass

transitive verb

ha·rass | \ hə-ˈras, ˈhar-əs

\

Legal Definition of harass

: to subject persistently and wrongfully to annoying, offensive, or troubling behavior a collection agency harassing a debtor — see also sexual harassment

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