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
  • Meanwhile, Andy Sachs (Hathaway) has just been sacked from her respected position as an award-winning reporter at a vital, forward-thinking political news outlet.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 1 May 2026
  • While Troy may well have been sacked in a war, historians are largely unwilling to accept that it was ever destroyed by a crack team of Greek soldiers hidden inside a giant wooden horse.
    Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Gloria said her ex-boyfriend had been following and harassing her.
    Paul LaRosa, CBS News, 3 May 2026
  • Is this a reasonable prosecution in response to Morens’s apparent efforts to avoid public-records laws, or an excuse to harass scientists involved in the 2020 COVID response—or both?
    Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • But Klaasen didn’t hold back and shared an 80-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 21, and then Salil Arora (30 not out) plundered three sixes and two fours as Hyderabad notched its fifth straight win.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Kyiv has long accused Russia of plundering these regions' resources.
    Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Katie Porter scolded, Tom Steyer channeled Bernie.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
  • The victim said he was singled out for laughing, scolded, and told to continue reading before being ordered into the hallway.
    Peter D'Oench, CBS News, 5 May 2026
Verb
  • The inscriptions were originally inlaid with gold, which was looted following the British annexation of Myanmar in 1885 and replaced with black ink beginning in 1892.
    Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
  • As with Osterweil, who argued that white supremacy can render even violent looting a legitimate act, Piker and Tolentino suggest that certain crimes become not just morally justifiable but even admirable when coupled with a claim against structural injustice.
    Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 23 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
  • The Trinity fire, which started May 1 in Phelan, burned 19 acres with no structures damaged, though the blaze destroyed an unknown number of Joshua trees.
    Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
  • But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces destroyed several military and other targets, while also inflicting significant damage on oil port infrastructure.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • Getty has hundreds of millions of images and videos across its collections and partner platforms, including those of PhotoDisc, a company once reviled for its clip art but which helped create the low-cost, online sales model, and the respected Tony Stone Images collection.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
  • In the docuseries, Hogan appears at peace with the fact he is beloved by some and reviled by others after his post-career downfall.
    Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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