harassment
Americannoun
-
an act or instance of harassing; torment, vexation, or intimidation.
daily harassment by bullies at school;
the harassments of daily life.
-
the condition or fact of being harassed.
the stress of harassment and discrimination.
Pronunciation
See harass.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of harassment
Explanation
If someone is abusing, insulting, or otherwise harming you on a regular basis, it's called harassment. Cruel and usually really annoying, harassment is also illegal in some cases. Harassment is a word that describes any kind of ongoing torment. At school, harassment is often known as bullying. In the workplace, employees need to be careful about sexual harassment. Harassment involves persistent attacks or abuse, and can range from shouting racial slurs to crank calling your ex-boyfriend every night at 3am. Even teasing your kid sister about her braces could be considered harassment.
Vocabulary lists containing harassment
Word Generation Weekly - Series 3
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Articles on Bullying
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Lincoln's Last Days
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I do not engage in harassment or deliberately seek to make anyone uncomfortable," he added.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Even if companies conclude there is no substance to harassment claims, they will in many cases move to cut checks to avoid protracted disputes playing out in public view.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
Second, federal authorities should develop investigative protocols for manipulation campaigns linked to market positions, particularly cases in which harassment or coercion appears tied to large open trades.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
“It reflects a legitimate and important state interest in protecting people from harassment and threats. But at the same time, this bill punishes the publication of information.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026
In their combat missions, the open-cockpit Po-2 biplanes flew toward that night’s harassment target one by one, each three minutes behind the next.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
