harassing 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in frightening

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2
as in annoying

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Dissimilar Words

harassing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of harass
as in killing
to use up all the physical energy of had been visibly harassed by the demands of the presidency

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of harassing
Adjective
Then Clark put on a dribbling clinic, made nifty pass after nifty pass and became both a harassing presence on defense and the Fever's emotional leader during a 20-6 second-quarter run. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 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
However, Fox’s family didn’t feel satisfied with the way that FedEx handled Fox’s complaints to HR about her colleagues harassing her and filed a lawsuit against the company. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2026 As the divide between union members and Medieval Times loyalists deepened, anonymous troll accounts surfaced and began posting content harassing those on the picket line. — Alessandra Schade, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026 Kirkpatrick was arrested Friday on charges related to allegedly harassing and doxxing the University of Alabama police officer who arrested him in 2025. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026 Leaders at a high school in Colorado accused of racially harassing students at sports games sent an e-mail to families on Monday about the investigation. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Instagram, also owned by Meta, has cracked down on harassing videos filmed with smart glasses. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 Trouble at ICE field office For months, protesters outside the Moss building, which houses immigration court and ICE offices, have accused Sacramento police of assisting federal agents and harassing demonstrators. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Buchanan, 72, had been incarcerated since 2004 for kidnapping a convict who was harassing a corrupt prison guard. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 The league is also partnering with a third-party service provider to help monitor and control harassing messages. — Jessica Golden,contessa Brewer, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harassing
  1. frightening
  2. annoying
  3. killing
  4. persecutory
  5. pestiferous
  6. wearing
  7. chilling
  8. inquisitive
Adjective
  • The frightening part is that almost anyone can end up on the wrong side of these systems.
    — Edward Longe, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Sussman remembers the 1999 Glastonbury Festival as both frightening and unforgettable.
    — Maribeth Romslo, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • After five years in development at Retro Studios, the original makers of the Metroid Prime series, fans were greeted with annoying side characters, a bike for Samus to roam the barren landscape on, and a deeply unsatisfying ending.
    — Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The truth, and its handling, hangs over the show, which must be annoying for those involved, and simultaneously is why many people bought tickets.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • Earlier this week, missiles fired by the Houthis struck a residential area in Taiz, killing two teenage girls and renewing attention on the dangers faced by civilians.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Russia's aerial attacks hit 12 regions of Ukraine overnight, killing at least four people and wounding scores of others, including five children, Zelenskyy said on social media Thursday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of killing
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of persecutory
Adjective
  • After the Thirty Years’ War (1618-48), the Dutch were probably eager for reminders of ordinary domestic life, even pestiferous ones, and for images of quiet and tenderness.
    — Willard Spiegelman, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2017
  • Disease relies on a variety of pestiferous vectors for the transmission of infective bacteria.
    — Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
Definition of pestiferous
Verb
  • Speaking from experience, the right footwear can transform an uncomfortable ensemble into something actually functional, warm, and totally worth wearing.
    — Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Moore, who stood 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighed 140 pounds, was last seen on security camera footage inside the Aisle 1 store, wearing a long-sleeve green polo shirt and black shorts.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of wearing
Adjective
  • Wrap each disk in 2 layers of plastic and freeze instead of chilling.
    — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Nov. 2026
  • This is true of the remake as well, but LaBute’s changes to Cage’s character, and his addition of a personal connection to the island, add a chilling dimension the original lacks.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of chilling
Adjective
  • He’ll be assisted by his pal, the somewhat more purposeful Lietenant Sam Weinberg (Nick Blaemire) and the passionately inquisitive internal affairs officer Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway (Rodriguez).
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026
  • In the first, a best-selling mystery author dies, and Benoit Blanc, a charismatic and inquisitive private eye played by Daniel Craig, must investigate.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of inquisitive

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Harassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harassing. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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