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
  • Commanders defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton came through the Chiefs’ offensive line to sack Mahomes.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
  • There are rare instances, like the sack All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett recorded on him two weeks ago, when Paul tried to pass Garrett off to rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea, and Garrett slipped his block, going underneath both to sack Tua Tagovailoa.
    Omar Kelly October 29, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In July 2022, Avalos was convicted of felony stalking in Dakota County, Minnesota, after repeatedly contacting and harassing a victim in violation of state law.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The only other item on the ballot in this election is in Poway’s District 2, where voters will decide whether to recall City Councilmember Tony Blain, who is accused of harassing and bullying residents.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Along with goods for trade and plundered wealth, concepts of the soul have traveled the networks of empire.
    David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The French started to plunder Spanish ships on their voyages to Spain, and the English quickly joined in—their attacks shaped, in part, by the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century, which spawned anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish sentiment.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • George Clooney is looking back at one of the more surreal moments from his early Hollywood days — getting personally scolded by the legendary Frank Sinatra.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2025
  • That is the adage used to scold someone whose gaze is fixed on a particular subject a little too long.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Stolen Louvre loot worth $102 million may be melted down.
    Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Stolen Louvre loot worth $102 million may be melted down.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • My grandfather used to use a wooden walking stick and beat back the nettles—just savage them.
    Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which savaged New Orleans and much of the Gulf region, led to a push to better understand how and why these storms occur, and what agencies could do to better prepare.
    Alana Wise, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Japanese battleship Musashi, one of the largest ever built, was destroyed.
    Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Russian air defense systems destroyed one drone heading for Moscow, the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Sunday, according to Reuters.
    Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Can someone in demand really be that widely reviled?
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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