1
: a heated often protracted argument : wrangle
embroiling myself in a long, exasperating hassle with masons—
S. J. Perelman
S. J. Perelman2
: a violent skirmish : fight
3
a
: a state of confusion : turmoil
all hassle and hurly-burly—Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen
b
: an annoying or troublesome concern
avoid the hassle of filling out paperwork
flight delays and other hassles of holiday travel
too much of a hassle to bother with
Examples of hassle in a Sentence
Noun
All this paperwork is a hassle.
They've had to deal with flight delays and all of the other hassles of holiday travel.
He got into a hassle with his landlord.
Verb
Other kids were always hassling her because she was overweight.
I'm sick of being hassled by telemarketers.
I don't have time to hassle with you about this! Just do what I tell you to do!
Recent Examples on the Web
Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2025
There are many situations where homeowners decide to skip getting a permit because of the extra cost, time, and hassle involved.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Then there is the typically placid McIlroy’s emotional volatility in the Ryder Cup, which almost invites his audience to hassle him.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hassle
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Noun
Finding the right toiletry bag for your next trip is as important as buying a reliable carry-on or a hassle-free backpack.
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2025
There are many situations where homeowners decide to skip getting a permit because of the extra cost, time, and hassle involved.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Accompanied by her young son Israel, Owens went across the street to Lorincz's residence that evening to retrieve a tablet Israel claimed that Lorincz, who'd repeatedly hassled and called the police on the neighborhood children for years, had stolen from him.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
Then there is the typically placid McIlroy’s emotional volatility in the Ryder Cup, which almost invites his audience to hassle him.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hassle
Cite this Entry
“Hassle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hassle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hassle
1 of 2 verb
has·sle
ˈhas-əl 
hassled; hassling
-(ə-)liŋ
1
: argue sense 2, dispute
hassled with the umpire
2
: to annoy continuously : harass
hassle
2 of 2 nounLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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