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harass

verb
ha·​rass | \ hÉ™-ˈras How to pronounce harass (audio) ; ˈher-É™s, ˈha-rÉ™s How to pronounce harass (audio) \
harassed; harassing; harasses

Definition of harass

transitive verb

1a : exhaust, fatigue I have been harassed with the toil of verse— William Wordsworth
b(1) : to annoy persistently was harassing his younger brother
(2) : to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct was being harassed by her classmates claims that the police were unfairly harassing him
2 : to worry and impede by repeated raids harassed the enemy
Other Words from harass Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about harass

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Other Words from harass

harasser noun
harassment \ hÉ™-​ˈras-​mÉ™nt How to pronounce harassment (audio) ; ˈher-​É™s-​ , ˈha-​rÉ™s-​ How to pronounce harassment (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for harass

worry, annoy, harass, harry, plague, pester, tease mean to disturb or irritate by persistent acts. worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation. pursued a policy of worrying the enemy annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks. you're doing that just to annoy me harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power. harassed on all sides by creditors harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment. the strikers had been harried by thugs plague implies a painful and persistent affliction. plagued all her life by poverty pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks. constantly pestered with trivial complaints tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath. children teased the dog

Examples of harass in a Sentence

She was constantly harassed by the other students. He claims that he is being unfairly harassed by the police.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Recently, though, Jeremy Renner Official had been overrun by trolls impersonating the actor and harassing other fans. — Wired, "Jeremy Renner Just Shut Down His Fan App," 5 Sep. 2019 While fires burn in the Amazon and Hurricane Dorian harasses Florida, a pilgrimage focused on caring for creation is a perfect way to recommit ourselves to the care of our common home. — ExpressNews.com, "San Antonians can walk a Pilgrimage for Creation this Sunday," 4 Sep. 2019 But Moeller's offense never gained any traction against a stout Irish defense that harassed the yellow and blue on a play-by-play basis. — Shelby Dermer, Cincinnati.com, "Todd Naumann's reign at Moeller starts with turnover-filled 28-0 loss to Indianapolis Cathedral," 31 Aug. 2019 The penalty is similar to those for class B and C misdemeanors such as harassing phone calls or electronic messages; disorderly conduct; food stamp fraud of less than $100; and letting a prisoner escape. — Chris Foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin banned selling yellow margarine for 72 years, so residents smuggled it in from Illinois," 28 Aug. 2019 The United States therefore strongly opposes any efforts by China to threaten or coerce partner countries into withholding cooperation with non-Chinese firms, or otherwise harassing their cooperative activities. — Steve Mollman, Quartz, "The US says China is blocking $2.5 trillion in South China Sea oil and gas," 25 Aug. 2019 Spurred on by incendiary reports in the press, vigilantes have attacked camps and harassed Syrians in the streets. — The Economist, "Politicians are stoking anti-refugee sentiment in Lebanon," 22 Aug. 2019 Brackin and others also dispute the characterization that opponents have bullied or harassed anyone. — Trisha Powell Crain | Tcrain@al.com, al.com, "Rural charter school stokes religious fears, roils community in Alabama," 21 July 2019 Mykal McEldowney, IndyStar The product delivery branch of Fair Oaks Farms is suspending service for a week to help with the implementation of new policies, training and to protect delivery service drivers who have been harassed. — Natalia E. Contreras, Indianapolis Star, "Fair Oaks Farms suspends home delivery service in wake of animal abuse videos," 9 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'harass.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of harass

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for harass

French harasser, from Middle French, from harer to set a dog on, from Old French hare, interjection used to incite dogs, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German hier here — more at here

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More Definitions for harass

harass

verb
How to pronounce harass (audio) How to pronounce harass (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of harass

: to annoy or bother (someone) in a constant or repeated way
: to make repeated attacks against (an enemy)

See the full definition for harass in the English Language Learners Dictionary

harass

verb
ha·​rass | \ hÉ™-ˈras How to pronounce harass (audio) , ˈher-É™s\
harassed; harassing

Kids Definition of harass

1 : to annoy again and again
2 : to make repeated attacks against an enemy

Other Words from harass

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