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harry

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
  • On the field, his seven tackles, sack and pass breakup helped tilt the game in the Chargers’ favour; off the field, his tribute to his brother showed the depth of his character.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • In the box score, Brissett was 21-of-31 for 261 yards with two touchdown passes despite getting sacked five times by the Cowboys.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • He was accused of harassing the troops, though O'Hara disputed the claim.
    BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Can Atlanta’s defense, which ranks among the top half of teams in both sacks and quarterback rating, similarly harass Jones?
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Leaders in Congress agreed and sent out armadas of patriot privateers to do just that, plundering British shipping around the Atlantic rim and forcing Royal Navy warships to redeploy to convoy duty.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Pahlavi ruled from 1941 to 1979, when the Islamic Revolution ousted him amid allegations of repression and accusations that the pro-Western longtime ruler had plundered his nation’s treasury.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Nawat Itsaragrisil, president of Miss Grand International (MGI), was seen scolding Fatima Bosch, a 25-year-old contestant from Mexico, ahead of the 74th Miss Universe competition being held in Bangkok later this month.
    Anabella González, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
  • No doubt many grandmothers will want to scold us, but the truth is, soap isn't going to destroy your cast iron pans.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Ohio Anti-Slavery Society’s 1835 report told of a Black family whose home had been broken into and looted the year before.
    Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • California museum’s collection looted Police are investigating the theft of more than 1,000 items taken from the Oakland Museum of California.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the book, Giuffre alleges that the pair trafficked her to many powerful men, including a prince and a former prime minister who savaged her.
    Robin Abcarian, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
  • My grandfather used to use a wooden walking stick and beat back the nettles—just savage them.
    Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • So, automation can be used to destroy labor or workers’ power, but it can also be used in the opposite direction.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Homes, businesses and synagogues were destroyed.
    Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Newsom is widely reviled here for cutting back on oil drilling and not prioritizing new reservoirs to store water for thirsty farms.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Stone and Lanthimos have since worked together several times, and their collaboration, a mutual-favoritism society, has been hailed and sometimes reviled for its darkly exuberant sense of risk.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.

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