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.
But events over the last week suggest that what’s coming is even worse: AI-generated video that supercharges online harassment.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
A number of states, including California, now bar employers from using nondisclosure agreements to silence workers speaking out about workplace misconduct, including sexual assault, harassment and labor and safety violations.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
The two men are charged with religiously aggravated intentional harassment, contrary to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and intentional harassment, contrary to the Public Order Act 1986.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
At the time, Lively’s attorneys argued that Baldoni’s claims amounted to “weaponizing defamation lawsuits” against someone who had spoken publicly about harassment and retaliation.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
We are a busy and dynamic organization whose mission needless effrontery and harassment can only hinder.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
