hassling 1 of 2

adjective

as in mocking

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hassling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hassle
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

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 hassling
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
  1. mocking
  2. taunting
  3. bickering
  4. heckling
  5. teasing
  6. arguing
  7. needling
  8. fighting
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
Definition of mocking
Verb
  • Last week, Greenlaw was fined $11,941 for unsportsmanlike conduct after taunting the Broncos' sideline and head coach Sean Payton.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Greenlaw was fined $11,941 for taunting the Broncos’ sideline in a win last week.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of taunting
Verb
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
  • There’s striker Josie Gordon, bickering twin sisters Siobhan and Niamh, glove-shunning goalie Katie ‘Boots’ Quinn and couple Maddie and Margy.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bickering
Adjective
  • There was also an August 2024 incident at Fenway when Duran hurled a homophobic slur at a heckling fan.
    — Greg Dudek, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
  • Charles Barkley was once spitting mad at a heckling fan, and his expectoration wound up splashing on an 8-year-old girl.
    — Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Definition of heckling
Verb
  • After teasing the collab on their respective social channels earlier this week, the two have officially released their 37-piece collection—consisting of knits, jackets, and pants—in stores and online worldwide today.
    — Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Chris Pratt is teasing his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to reprise his role as Star-Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of teasing
Verb
  • The Virginia appeals court is being asked to invalidate the amendment, arguing state lawmakers failed to follow proper procedures before putting it before voters.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Means, along with his sister, came to prominence within the MAHA movement by arguing that ultraprocessed foods, additives and pesticides could be blamed for many of the chronic health conditions facing Americans.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of arguing
Adjective
  • These were actors who may have earlier been needling at or attempting to push my boundaries.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • But for those who find (and in some cases may be slightly mystified as to why) that there is a nagging, needling value to Schrader’s ongoing project of tussling with grandiose dilemmas of transgression and deliverance, there is some new news here.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of needling
Verb
  • Rather than fighting strict local regulations head-on, companies like Waymo, Zoox, and Aurora are prioritizing states with explicit legislative preemption that prevents individual cities from banning the technology.
    — Andrew Hawkins, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The procedure had already been approved, and everyone involved understood that my doctor had spent months fighting to secure authorization.
    — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of fighting

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Cite this Entry

“Hassling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hassling. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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