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
  • In his lone start last year with Young out with a high ankle sprain, Dalton was overmatched in a 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, getting sacked seven times and coughing up three turnovers.
    Joseph Person, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
  • In recent weeks, Baker McKenzie, a white-shoe law firm, axed 700 employees, Salesforce sacked hundreds of workers, and the auditing firm KPMG negotiated lower fees with its own auditor.
    Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • My team operated with the utmost respect to the neighbors and everybody, and they were harassed to some degree.
    Jay King, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Brown raised the bond after finding that Boyne attempted to harass or intimidate prospective state witnesses by surreptitiously photographing a prosecution witness list in court and directly, or with assistance from supporters, emailing the list, with questions, to the witnesses.
    Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • What’s the reward for being the most productively plundered of the mid-majors?
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection.
    Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Porter was initially viewed as having a potential edge in the race, but her prospects dimmed after videos emerged in October of the UC Irvine law professor scolding a reporter and swearing at an aide.
    Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
  • He is being groomed, playing, testing boundaries and even being scolded which are all part of normal social learning for young macaques.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In August 2024, students stormed her official residence, smashing walls and looting its contents, forcing her to flee into neighboring India and exile.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Stolen Louvre loot worth $102 million may be melted down.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In a letter this week to Lassen National Forest Supervisor Rick Hopson, the supervisors noted that their stretch of California has repeatedly been savaged by wildfire.
    James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
  • For months, the two right-wing media stars had been savaging each other on their respective platforms.
    Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Gizmodo continues that the results of the CT scans astonished researchers because her right TMJ, near the ear, had been destroyed.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Half a million acres burned, destroying $300 million in timber and at least 150 homes and other structures.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • There is, of course, truth to the statement that billionaires are reviled.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
  • During the demonstrations for racial justice in 2020, protestors across the country defaced and tore down statues of Washington, arguing that enslavers should be reviled, not honored.
    John Garrison Marks, Time, 23 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

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