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, 17 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
Relatives said the suspect has been harassing the victim, trying to pick a fight in the days before the shooting.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 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
Spencer Pratt lashed out at the Los Angeles Times and a rival mayoral candidate, accusing a reporter of harassing his family and trying to expose where his children live as his campaign gains traction in the polls.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
The woman, who was 52 at the time, allegedly began harassing Buckingham’s wife and son, dating back to 2021.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 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
In that series, the Timberwolves’ used their harassing defense to rattle and, ultimately, wear down Denver.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 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
Relatives said the suspect has been harassing the victim, trying to pick a fight in the days before the shooting.
—Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 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
Spencer Pratt lashed out at the Los Angeles Times and a rival mayoral candidate, accusing a reporter of harassing his family and trying to expose where his children live as his campaign gains traction in the polls.
—Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
The woman, who was 52 at the time, allegedly began harassing Buckingham’s wife and son, dating back to 2021.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harassing
Adjective
-
Beats that might once have been framed through a hazy, absurdist lens now play as something much more fatalistic and frightening.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Forget about sonic or other frightening devices.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Go to Paris and be with your annoying bohemian friends!—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
-
And every family has that annoying uncle that makes horrible jokes or one situation after another.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In some cases, the frost is severe enough to end the growing season and is then referred to as a 'killing frost'.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Mack was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing her mother, while Schaefer, who admitted fatally beating von Wiese-Mack but claimed self defense, received an 18-year prison term.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
21 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
-
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
-
The whole event was lousy with pestiferous Bible-banging.—
Charles P. Pierce,
Esquire,
12 Dec. 2017
Verb
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That moment came courtesy of a guy wearing a Cubs uniform, but Monday grew up in Santa Monica and delivered his spontaneous commemoration of Flag Day in the year of America’s bicentennial.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
-
And the University of San Francisco issued a public safety warning to students after a man wearing Ray-Ban Meta sunglasses was suspected of filming women with the intention of posting the videos online.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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To think that the fate of the world might be decided over vodka sodas, scored to a Kim Petras song, is…chilling to say the least.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Such implications could have a chilling effect on the reporting of such crimes by partners and spouses locked into messy and tumultuous relationships.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While figs are generally considered deer-resistant, young trees may still face damage from inquisitive deer.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Izabella, who also goes by Izzy, is a wonderful girl with an inquisitive, outgoing, and confident personality.—
MARE Staff,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harassing. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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