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
  • Dak got sacked and lost seven yards.
    Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Herbert was sacked a career-high 54 times while playing behind an offensive line that was without top tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater because of season-ending injuries.
    Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Some might have expected Declan Rice alone to win those headers or harass the opposition in that manner, but the partnership between these two is about more than just Zubimendi allowing the England midfielder to burst into goalscoring areas.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Student and faculty critics also accused the university of being too slow to respond to complaints about a rising star astrophysicist, Christian Ott, accused or harassing and discriminating against female graduate students as early as 2012.
    Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Bainbridge wasn’t shy about plundering her personal life for material.
    Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Last fall, copper thieves plundered about a dozen public streetlights over three city blocks, leaving their neighborhood in the dark.
    Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Also on hand to scold him out of his funk is Henry’s uncle, Lord Norton (Andrew Havill), a newspaper publisher of waning influence.
    Judy Berman, Time, 19 Jan. 2026
  • Sanders, by now a perennial candidate, perfected his craggy, scolding, mitten-waving style.
    Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Rubio accused the Maduro government of looting Venezuela’s energy sector and diverting oil revenues to support Havana while ordinary Venezuelans faced fuel shortages, hunger and economic collapse despite the country’s vast oil reserves.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Buildings burned to the ground; businesses were looted.
    Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Blue Bag program went ahead despite being savaged by critics for years throughout its planning stages, and was not considered a success when it was scrapped more than a dozen years later for the city's current blue cart program.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Instead, it was largely savaged by critics, crushing for the man at its center.
    Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • But the Red Sox destroyed and ended their relationship with their only true power hitter and proven winner for a player who, though an undeniably excellent addition, was here for 117 total games.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
  • In the Pacific Palisades and nearby Malibu, flames burned for 31 days, scorching 37 square miles and destroying more than 6,000 structures, most of them homes.
    Sarah Alegre, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Trump is reviled on issues in poll after poll; Israel has never been the recipient of so much global criticism.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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