harass

[huh-ras, har-uhs]

verb (used with object)

1. to disturb or bother persistently; torment, as with troubles or cares; pester.

   He stays up late, harassed with doubt and anxiety.

   Synonyms: annoy, hector, plague, vex, badger

2. to intimidate or coerce, as with persistent demands or threats.

   Apparently a parent has been harassing the school principal with late-night phone calls.

3. to subject to unwelcome sexual advances.

   I was harassed by my boss many years ago.

4. to trouble by repeated attacks, incursions, etc., as in war or hostilities; harry; raid.

   Synonyms: beset, besiege

harass

/ ˈhærəs, həˈræs /

verb

1. (tr) to trouble, torment, or confuse by continual persistent attacks, questions, etc

Pronunciation Note

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.

Other Word Forms

• harassable adjective
• harasser noun
• harassingly adverb
• harassment noun
• overharass verb (used with object)
• unharassed adjective
• harassing adjective
• harassed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of harass¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of harass¹

C17: from French harasser, variant of Old French harer to set a dog on, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German harēn to cry out

Synonym Study

See worry.

Example Sentences

“Mr. Sweet’s course of conduct, including threats to harm my family, are seriously alarming and harassing and are extremely distressing to me and my family,” she wrote in a declaration, filed on Mar. 3, 2014.

From Los Angeles Times

In private, Nixon abused the office of the presidency to harass and intimidate broadcasting reporters, directors and executives.

From Salon

“It is surprising that he is back at it, I thought he had moved on and found a new person to harass.”

From Salon

His assaults on the press, which have included pressuring media companies, filing frivolous lawsuits and harassing journalists.

From Salon

He said he and his fellow encampment residents “might have been a little noisy,” but he wasn’t aware of any drug deals and “we never harassed the neighbors.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• burn 
• hassle 
• heckle 
• hound 
• intimidate 
• persecute 
• pester 
• raid 
• tease 
• torment