1
as in taunting
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
a small group of jeering protesters hassled the politically active singer at every appearance she made
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in bickering
to express different opinions about something often angrily
constantly hassled with the chef over the need to cook pork thoroughly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hassling
Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
Eventually, Bournemouth were so sick of Sadiki’s hassling that substitute Lewis Cook jutted an elbow at him.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hassling
Adjective
-
To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Then, guards who worked for the contractor Critical Response Strategies began taunting detainees, threatening to enter the cage where immigrants were held.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The hawks are practically taunting the populists for their lack of influence.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For those of us interested in governing and not bickering, this is a good thing.—
Gail Slater,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In some states, lawmakers are still bickering over how money should be spent.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Since then, Earle has been teasing her response to Cooper online.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Downey said, teasing the crowd that gave him a standing ovation during his entrance.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For tariffs that have been liquidated within 180 days, importers can also file a protest, which is a formal challenge with the CBP arguing that an error was made in assessing duties, such as the tariff rate applied to an import.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
17 Apr. 2026
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The estate is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, funeral expenses, attorney's fees, and other relief, arguing that multiple parties share responsibility for Avery's death under Georgia law because their actions combined to cause a single fatal outcome.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Reuters reported that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who hosted the dinner of some 200 people as co-chair of the World Economic Forum, ended the dinner after the heckling incident — before dessert was served.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Vice President Vance appeared on FOX News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle hours after the heckling incident, telling the host about visiting with the national guardsmen and discussing recent changes to the city, while briefly mentioning the protesters.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But that doesn’t excuse failing to execute on the ABCs of lobbying — such as not bothering even to show up at a hearing on a policy the mayor considers an urgent priority.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
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Both players scored in double figures on Sunday, but Santos was ruled out against the Kings because of a pelvis injury that has been bothering him for weeks.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The camp is entirely dependent on aid, disrupted after cuts by USAID last year and again by fighting between Syrian and Kurdish forces this February.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Despite how difficult sitting through the case was, the jurors commended Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez for her fairness — and lead prosecutor Abbe Rifkin for fighting so hard for Quatisha.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hassling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hassling. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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