1
as in frightening
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2
as in annoying
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Dissimilar Words
as in killing
to use up all the physical energy of
had been visibly harassed by the demands of the presidency
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Recent Examples of harassing
Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 1 Jan. 2026
The line is crossed when someone’s conduct at work becomes disrespectful, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, or disruptive to the team.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Prosecutors accused 37-year-old James Strahler of creating more than 700 non-consensual images and videos of adult women and minors, harassing the women with phone calls, messages and online postings.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The law would open the door for people to be charged with a Class B misdemeanor for refusing to leave the buffer zone or intentionally interfering with, threatening or harassing a first responder.
—Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Less than five months before killing Wilkerson, DHS said Moralez was arrested for harassing his ex-girlfriend.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Shortly after those allegations surfaced, a TV host in Georgia also reportedly accused the singer of harassing her that same year at an industry party.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The mother, Carmen Becerra, has reportedly said the killers were harassing her daughter prior to the murder.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
The 17-year-old actor took to Instagram to ask his online admirers to stop harassing his real-life classmates.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2026
Canvasser allegedly targeted the roommate with a weekslong campaign of harassing text messages written to suggest the roommate was being watched by a stalking stranger who could see into his suite and even the bathroom.
—Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The first complaint, in which a clerk made similar accusations of abusive and harassing conduct, was filed with the circuit court in 2022, not long after Merriam’s appointment.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 1 Jan. 2026
The line is crossed when someone’s conduct at work becomes disrespectful, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, or disruptive to the team.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
As a whole, Minnesota’s lengthy, harassing defense is causing Denver issues.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Prosecutors accused 37-year-old James Strahler of creating more than 700 non-consensual images and videos of adult women and minors, harassing the women with phone calls, messages and online postings.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The law would open the door for people to be charged with a Class B misdemeanor for refusing to leave the buffer zone or intentionally interfering with, threatening or harassing a first responder.
—Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Less than five months before killing Wilkerson, DHS said Moralez was arrested for harassing his ex-girlfriend.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Shortly after those allegations surfaced, a TV host in Georgia also reportedly accused the singer of harassing her that same year at an industry party.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The mother, Carmen Becerra, has reportedly said the killers were harassing her daughter prior to the murder.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
The 17-year-old actor took to Instagram to ask his online admirers to stop harassing his real-life classmates.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2026
Canvasser allegedly targeted the roommate with a weekslong campaign of harassing text messages written to suggest the roommate was being watched by a stalking stranger who could see into his suite and even the bathroom.
—Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harassing
Adjective
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Her Dispatch from the scene captured the moments of frightening confusion as high-ranking members of the government were whisked away from the Washington Hilton, where the event was held.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2026
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The ultimate scene packs a punch here — without spoiling things, Abigail Onwunali is particularly powerful in a role that Wilson saves till the eleventh hour, and Boone goes to places at once frightening and devastating.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Your husband’s petty desire to be right about everything is understandably annoying and somewhat typical behavior.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Dealing with frost on your car may be a nuisance in the winter, but seeds, leaves, and flower petals can be equally as annoying in spring.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Saturday, Moscow pummeled the central city of Dnipro and other areas for more than twenty hours with barrages of missiles and drones, killing at least seven people.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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The coastal Georgia man arrested in 2018 and accused of torturing, killing and burying his two teenage children in the backyard of the family’s mobile home will spend the rest of his life behind bars after reaching a plea deal.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For example, Americans living during World War II developed persecutory delusions involving Germans, while those living during the Cold War focused on communists.—
Alaina Vandervoort Burns,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Structured as entries in Emily’s field journal, the novel lays out her aims, her curmudgeonly nature and her pestiferous relationship with one Wendell Bambleby — a charismatic fellow researcher and sometime rival who Emily suspects is a fairy himself.—
Amal El-Mohtar,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2023
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The whole event was lousy with pestiferous Bible-banging.—
Charles P. Pierce,
Esquire,
12 Dec. 2017
Verb
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Eli Heidenreich walked down the long corridor, wearing his Navy service dress blues and the emotion of the moment all over his face.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Probably one of the most ingrained is wearing pastels during the spring and summer months, with trendsetters and designers rallying around one specific shade for the past sever seasons.—
Lucía Tejo,
Glamour,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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To the left is a relaxed deck for post-dip chilling; to the right is the beautifully restrained restaurant, partly enclosed in a glasshouse with an undulating canopy roof.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
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They are measured in the reputational damage that will take years to remediate, and in the chilling effect on future endeavors intended to do good at scale.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Despite his detractors, Kempthorne remained inquisitive and open to conversation, and also prone to an independent streak, Rick Johnson, former longtime executive director of the Idaho Conservation League, told the Idaho Statesman.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Apr. 2026
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While figs are generally considered deer-resistant, young trees may still face damage from inquisitive deer.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harassing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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