harry

Definition of harrynext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb harry contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of harry are annoy, harass, pester, plague, tease, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

When can annoy be used instead of harry?

The words annoy and harry are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

Where would harass be a reasonable alternative to harry?

While the synonyms harass and harry are close in meaning, harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

When might pester be a better fit than harry?

The words pester and harry can be used in similar contexts, but pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

When would plague be a good substitute for harry?

The synonyms plague and harry are sometimes interchangeable, but plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

When is it sensible to use tease instead of harry?

While in some cases nearly identical to harry, tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

In what contexts can worry take the place of harry?

The meanings of worry and harry largely overlap; however, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

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 harry For newbies: Orphaned after the death of their parents, 6-year-old Lilo (Maia Kealoha), ostracized at school, is being raised by her devoted but harried teenage sister Nani (Sydney Agudong), nearing the age of adult guardianship. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025 These broken objects, and others like them, feed into my general sense of being harried, overburdened, and middle-aged. Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 6 May 2025 Bullets, bombs and electronic warfare harry both man and machine. Colin Demarest, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025 Here’s how the individual snaps were divided: Quarterback: Brock Purdy 59, Joshua Dobbs 5 One of the pregame storylines was how harried Purdy might be behind a makeshift offensive line. Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for harry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harry
Verb
  • Downing Street has blamed the Foreign Office for the failure, and a top civil servant has reportedly been sacked.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Downing Street moved swiftly late on Thursday to try to quash the scandal, sacking the Foreign Office’s top official, Olly Robbins.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The puck went behind the net, and Lehkonen was there to harass Kings defenseman Drew Doughty’s attempt to rim the puck out of danger.
    Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Other allegations against Uber drivers Mensing’s case is part of a multidistrict litigation filed by passengers who say Uber drivers assaulted or harassed them.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The collapse of Prospect Medical, a for-profit hospital chain plundered by private equity and the company’s management, has generated a painful litany of woes.
    Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 9 Apr. 2026
  • But the sea lies in a region of the Golden State where there are already numerous environmental concerns, and some residents worry that plundering for lithium could exacerbate the problem.
    Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Leon scolded Justice Department attorneys for arguing that the entire project needed to go forward for national security reasons, before previously distinguishing between the bunker below ground and the ballroom above ground.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Government officials scolded young people for the signs of disrespect.
    Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The commercial district stands gutted, looted and torched.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
  • The only time the family has been looted was in 2025, when a bear came into the yard and upturned the beehives.
    Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Chronic disease programs, in particular, have been savaged, whether those programs have been focused on oral health or tobacco control, to name a few.
    Helen Branswell, STAT, 30 Mar. 2026
  • We’ve been dealt a nigh-unbearable hand when two of our communities were utterly savaged by fire.
    Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Similarly, corruption or physical damage might destroy a file’s header, which contains its identifying metadata, while leaving other parts of it untouched.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The Jeep crashed into a concrete barrier after clipping the other car, destroying part of the barrier, Adams County Fire Rescue officials said.
    Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • From liberal to nationalist Beloved by many older and more rural Hungarians and reviled by detractors, Orbán has emerged as the country’s most consequential leader since its transition to democracy at the end of the Cold War.
    Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Texas lawmakers have openly reviled the standardized testing regime and voted last year to replace the test with three shorter assessments, starting in the 2027-28 school year.
    Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.

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