harass

[ huh-ras, har-uhs ]

See synonyms for: harass harassed harassing harasser on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to disturb or bother persistently; torment, as with troubles or cares; pester: He stays up late, harassed with doubt and anxiety.
to intimidate or coerce, as with persistent demands or threats: Apparently a parent has been harassing the school principal with late-night phone calls.

to subject to unwelcome sexual advances: I was harassed by my boss many years ago.
to trouble by repeated attacks, incursions, etc., as in war or hostilities; harry; raid.

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

synonym study For harass

1. See worry.

pronunciation note For harass

harass , a 17th-century borrowing from French, has traditionally been pronounced in English as

[har-uhs], /ˈhær əs/, with stress on the first syllable. A newer pronunciation,

[huh-ras], /həˈræs/, 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 words for harass

1	badger, vex, plague, hector, annoy
4	besiege, beset

See synonyms for harass on Thesaurus.com

Other words from harass

ha·rass·a·ble, adjective
ha·rass·er, noun
ha·rass·ing·ly, adverb
ha·rass·ment, noun
o·ver·har·ass, verb (used with object)
un·ha·rassed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use harass in a sentence

She wrote about how Braddy harassed her in 2010, tried to get back together and attacked her.
Fugitive who died in gun battle with Md. police killed his estranged girlfriend in Fla., authorities say | Dan Morse | November 18, 2020 | Washington Post
One member of the Carlsbad City Council filed a restraining order against three local men after they stalked and harassed her online.
Women Politicians Across the County Say They’ve Faced Harassment, Threats | Kayla Jimenez | November 9, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
In one case, an attorney approved by Pelletier repeatedly harassed his client for sex while working as her court-appointed defense lawyer.
Following Our Investigation, the Director of Maine’s Public Defense Agency Resigns | by Samantha Hogan, The Maine Monitor | November 5, 2020 | ProPublica
Four men reported that Beiser sexually harassed or assaulted them, but Beiser refused to resign.
2020 May Be the Last Cake Walk for Union-Backed School Board Candidates | Will Huntsberry | November 4, 2020 | Voice of San Diego
They are among seven former eBay employees charged in the scheme to harass the couple, who authorities say published an online newsletter with articles that were critical of the company.
2 more ex-eBay employees admit to roles in harassment scheme | Verne Kopytoff | October 30, 2020 | Fortune

For months after my release, I was harassed by the security services, who further interrogated me and detained me without cause.
What It’s Like to Be an Atheist in Palestine | Waleed al-Husseini, Movements.Org | December 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
When I became aware that an intern of mine had been sexually harassed by a producer while making the film, I was blown away.
A Rallying Cry Against the Oversexualization of Our Youth | Darryl Roberts | November 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
How does it feel to be harassed while walking down the street?
What Does It Feel Like To Be Catcalled? | The Daily Beast Video | November 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
“It was this year when the Israelis first harassed him,” the father explained.
In Jerusalem Home Demolitions, the Biblical Justice of Revenge | Creede Newton | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
An Uber driver harassed me and my then-employer, and then Uber lied to me.
The Ten Worst Uber Horror Stories | Olivia Nuzzi | November 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
"I believe Ethel took rather too much care," said Margaret, much more harassed by the scolding than by the pain.
The Daisy Chain | Charlotte Yonge
We all know the terrible answer that the king made, on being harassed by Montmorency in her favor.
Catherine de' Medici | Honore de Balzac
But they were no longer harassed with the water and timbers that had impeded their progress at the south end.
Famous Adventures And Prison Escapes of the Civil War | Various
The country lying at the foot of the mountains is harassed both by these people and by the Armenians.
The Geography of Strabo, Volume III (of 3) | Strabo
The husbandmen live in the plains, and when harassed by the freebooters, they require protection of various kinds.
The Geography of Strabo, Volume III (of 3) | Strabo

British Dictionary definitions for harass

harass

/ (ˈhærəs, həˈræs) /

verb

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

Origin of harass

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

Derived forms of harass

harassed, adjective
harassing, adjective, noun
harassment, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse