as in frustrated
bothered by many problems or worries; very worried or anxious
An overbooked flight only added to the exasperation of the harried travelers.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in sacked
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in harassed
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 harried
Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
During a sequence in which Donal starts jamming with a band at the local pub, Cox doesn’t know where to place the camera, quick cutting between fingers playing instruments in a harried fashion.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
The relatively slow summer months can provide harried bankers, economists and other executives and professionals at least a little more time for reflection and comprehensive analysis.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
This aging champion for the little guy yearns for a fight at every occasion, not aware that his stubbornness and ego have proved to be his undoing, and Washington responds with a harried, vulnerable performance.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harried
Adjective
This harried conversation led to an unexpected breakthrough for mother and daughter.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
During a sequence in which Donal starts jamming with a band at the local pub, Cox doesn’t know where to place the camera, quick cutting between fingers playing instruments in a harried fashion.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
The relatively slow summer months can provide harried bankers, economists and other executives and professionals at least a little more time for reflection and comprehensive analysis.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
This aging champion for the little guy yearns for a fight at every occasion, not aware that his stubbornness and ego have proved to be his undoing, and Washington responds with a harried, vulnerable performance.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harried
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harried
Adjective
-
Piper was also cast as Skye on the show Mani at age 10 but left after Tiffany allegedly grew frustrated that another actress received more lines than her daughter, according to the docuseries.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
-
That's described by people who were very frustrated with them in court transcripts, and that is also described in their text, but in a different way, as something joyful and wonderful.—
Mike Miller,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Heitinga was sacked at Ajax on November 6 with interim coach Fred Grim overseeing six victories and four defeats across 11 matches since, including the side’s 6-0 Dutch Cup loss at AZ on Wednesday, in which former Spurs striker Troy Parrott scored a hat-trick.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Hortiz praised the Chargers’ offensive line for their play in the wake of season-ending injuries to tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, but the fact was that Herbert was sacked 54 times during the regular season, the most in his six-year career, plus six more times Sunday by the Patriots.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Many of you have been told this law enforcement officer wasn’t hit by a car, wasn’t being harassed, and murdered an innocent woman.—
Holmes Lybrand,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Many of you have been told this law enforcement officer wasn't hit by a car, wasn't being harassed, and murdered an innocent woman.—
Staff And Wire Reports,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Virginia was annoyed to see her association made public and suspected someone at Rinehart had talked to Kilgallen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
But that fun idea went south when Barlow became annoyed with her castmate Whitney Rose.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The last round of expansion, adding Seattle and Vancouver, came at significant cost to the league’s six original franchises, which had their rosters plundered in the expansion draft.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Many of the country's ancient temples were plundered during a genocide in the 1970s and subsequent civil war.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Students sat in rows, making faces at each other, scolded by their teachers to behave.—
David Wilson,
Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders scolded the media on Sunday after the team’s close loss to the Buffalo Bills at home.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
It certainly can be deployed sincerely, yet it’s almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
3 Jan. 2026
-
Let the Big Three ride out the final years of this glorious era together, with Kerr looking on, exasperated but content in the final year of his contract.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In the 21st century, oil extraction has become a serious threat to Ecuadoran Amazonia, with large swaths of forest, often located in Indigenous territories, despoiled by the release of wastewater from the wells.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harried.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harried. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
