hassle
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a prolonged argument; wrangle
-
a great deal of trouble; difficulty; nuisance
verb
-
(intr) to quarrel or wrangle
-
(tr) to cause annoyance or trouble to (someone); harass
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hassle
First recorded in 1935–40; origin uncertain
Explanation
Something that is bothersome or annoying can be called a hassle. It's a huge hassle to go back to the grocery store after unloading fifteen bags and realizing you forgot milk. The noun hassle can also refer to an argument or a scuffle. If you get into a hassle at school, you're likely to be called into the principal's office. As a verb, hassle means to annoy or harass repeatedly or chronically. If a bully is constantly hassling you, you should report them.
Vocabulary lists containing hassle
Ghost
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The Skin I'm In
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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.
Advisers said that many private-market investments come with layers of complexity and fees that, for most people, might just not be worth the hassle.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
Avoid the hassle of baking strawberry shortcake and celebrate with a strawberry shortcake tiramisu, instead.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
No one really wants the hassle of driving through Brooklyn on a Friday afternoon, no matter what they are driving.
From Barron's • May 3, 2026
Starting over with a new tax preparer is such a hassle.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
“You just try to be yourself and get through your day, and punks always gotta hassle you.”
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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.
