as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
the villagers were gaunt and sickly, harrowed by years of disease and starvation
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Recent Examples of harrow
Before the big race, the track was harrowed, bringing it to a better and drier racing surface.
—
John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
The research fellow who met me, Birte, was in her forties, and appeared as if she had been harrowed by her work.
—John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Plus, Shin Ha-young is given little to do in the second half of the series despite her effortless shift from warm third wheel to harrowed and weary abuse victim.
—Geoffrey Bunting, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2023
Track maintenance will then harrow the track to release the compactness and return it to its regular consistency for racing.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2021
That same humble deity, in the course of putting on humanity, had obtained a glimpse of the conditions on earth—poverty, needless estrangement, a stubborn pattern of rich ruling over poor—and decided to incite a revolution that would harrow Hell.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2020
John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
The research fellow who met me, Birte, was in her forties, and appeared as if she had been harrowed by her work.
—John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Plus, Shin Ha-young is given little to do in the second half of the series despite her effortless shift from warm third wheel to harrowed and weary abuse victim.
—Geoffrey Bunting, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2023
Track maintenance will then harrow the track to release the compactness and return it to its regular consistency for racing.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2021
That same humble deity, in the course of putting on humanity, had obtained a glimpse of the conditions on earth—poverty, needless estrangement, a stubborn pattern of rich ruling over poor—and decided to incite a revolution that would harrow Hell.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harrow
Verb
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No mysteries plagued Preller this summer as far as which Padres positions needed upgrades ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Aug. 2025
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Diversity in jury pools have been longstanding issues plaguing the criminal justice system.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The risk and harms of AMD increase after age 65, but bright lights afflict younger people, too.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
4 Aug. 2025
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The gun violence epidemic continues to afflict our country and now has shattered lives in our great city.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 July 2025
Verb
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In late-night filings Thursday, the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office pushed back on recent framing by Combs’ lawyers portraying him as persecuted.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
1 Aug. 2025
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Open Doors is a global Christian charity which supports and speaks up for Christians persecuted for their faith.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
31 July 2025
Verb
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For more than three weeks, Halimi was held hostage and tortured.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Initially, Patricia had been kept blindfolded and tied to a chair in the same house where José was tortured.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Walker Buehler penned a gem of his own, tormenting his former NL West rival over six shutout innings.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
9 Aug. 2025
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These were the questions that tormented Levine in the weeks after her father’s death.—
Alessandra Schade,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harrow. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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