harass
Americanverb (used with object)
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harasses,
present (3rd person singular)
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harassed,
past participle, past
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harassing
present participle
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to disturb or bother persistently; torment, as with troubles or cares; pester.
He stays up late, harassed with doubt and anxiety.
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to intimidate or coerce, as with persistent demands or threats.
Apparently a parent has been harassing the school principal with late-night phone calls.
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to subject to unwelcome sexual advances.
I was harassed by my boss many years ago.
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to trouble by repeated attacks, incursions, etc., as in war or hostilities; harry; raid.
verb
Pronunciation
harass , a 17th-century borrowing from French, has traditionally been pronounced in English as , with stress on the first syllable. A newer pronunciation, , has developed in North American (but not British) English and has become the more common one in the U.S., especially among younger speakers.
Synonym Usage
See worry.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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harassernoun
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harassmentnoun
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overharassverb (used with object)
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harassableadjective
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harassedadjective
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harassingadjective
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unharassedadjective
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harassinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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harasssimple
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harassessimple
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have harassedperfect
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has harassedperfect
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am harassingprogressive
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are harassingprogressive
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is harassingprogressive
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have been harassingperfect progressive
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has been harassingperfect progressive
Past
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harassedsimple
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had harassedperfect
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was harassingprogressive
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were harassingprogressive
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had been harassingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of harass
First recorded in 1610–20; from French, Middle French harasser “to harry, harass,” verbal derivative of harace, harache (in phrase courre a la harace “pursue”), equivalent to hare “cry used to urge dogs on” (from Frankish hara (unattested) “here, from this side”; compare Old High German hera, Middle Dutch hare ) + -asse augmentative or pejorative suffix, from Latin -ācea
Explanation
When you harass someone, you bother them to the point of exhaustion. It’s not that each attack is so severe, it’s the constant small attacks that wear someone out. If you harass your boss for a raise, you might end up getting fired instead! Harass probably comes from the Old French word harer meaning "to set a dog on." Think of someone being hounded when you use this word. You can harass your parents with questions or requests, but in turn, they can also harass you to clean your room! While this is annoying, it's much worse if you are harassed in the sense of being verbally abused. The bully at school who harasses some poor kid will be subject to disciplinary action if a complaint is filed.
Vocabulary lists containing harass
Beowulf vocabulary
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Excerpt from "The Declaration of Independence"
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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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.
See Examples For:
Since then, the Supreme Court has begun hearing cases involving allegations of violence and apprehensions that police could use face-recognition technology to harass protesters.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Billionaires like New York Knicks owner James L. Dolan reportedly use spying tech to harass people who criticize them.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting,” Huckabee said in a post on X.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Callella admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
I think they’re just being vigilant—making sure we don’t stop to harass them.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
The Saudi Embassy in Washington, responding to an inquiry by the AP, said, “The notion that the Saudi government — or any of its institutions — harasses its own citizens abroad is preposterous.”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 1, 2022
"I cannot continue supporting the existence of a coalition that harasses my community in this disgraceful manner," Ms Zoabi wrote.
From BBC ● May 19, 2022
Mr. West harasses Mr. Davidson on social media.
From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2022
Arlo is dyslexic, resentful, wounded; he disappears periodically, causes strife, harasses his half sister.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 20, 2021
I am not arguing now against your promise, since you have already given it to that man: but why do you cling to this image of life, that harasses and tortures you?
From The Old Man of the Mountain, The Lovecharm and Pietro of Abano Tales from the German of Tieck by Ludwig Tieck
"We have not been harmed or harassed, but there is a general feeling of anxiety. That's natural during wartime," he told AFP at Kuwait City's gold market.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
The Liuzzo family was harassed for their mother’s activism even after her death, but the event galvanized activists all over the country, becoming one impetus for Congress to finally pass the landmark 1965 legislation.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
A Chilean rescue group that made it into Venezuela, the paper said, has been “repeatedly” harassed by authorities for “documentation on suspicion that they were spies.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
When Ko Myint spoke out about his experiences with BFW on Facebook last year, he says he got harassed by Min Min Soe Shwe's supporters online.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
My grandmother never got harassed when she walked around our neighborhood in her head scarf during the mid-nineties.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
The alleged victim, Julie Fadden, 65, said if Woodhouse had been dealt with he might have been stopped before he began harassing Banks and other suspected victims.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
“Today’s guilty plea makes clear that harming or harassing our marine wildlife has serious consequences.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
When she’s youthful, Sophie catches the eye of a handsome, richly dressed stranger who gallantly escorts her away from two men harassing her on the street.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
But against Spain, he took part in his side’s relentless harassing of a technically superior team as it racked up a World Cup final record of 26 fouls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Smitherman must have tired of harassing them, because he abruptly turned and headed for the door.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
