harried

[har-eed]

adjective

1. harassed, agitated, or troubled by or as if by repeated attacks; beleaguered.

   This book is a balm for the harried, doubt-filled soul of a parent.

2. ravaged or devastated, as in war.

   Since leaving France, the Fourth Battalion had depended for its food on what it could glean from a harried countryside.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of harry.

Other Word Forms

• unharried adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of harried¹

harry ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The 51-minute color documentary observes the imposition of strict traffic controls at a busy Tehran intersection, where a harried but strong-willed traffic official determines who may pass and who may not.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But Mr. Thein’s harried, good-humored attempt to keep up with the title cards’ rapid pace brought additional amusement—and a much deserved ovation for his valiant efforts.

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That puts her in rarefied territory for a family doctor—most of whom are so harried they barely know their patients individually.

Read more on Barron's

If air travel was fraught with inconveniences before the government shutdown, things are about to get a lot more harried.

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But Harriet Dyer strolls through the sliding doors like she’s walking into another shift at work as the soothing automated voice directs harried visitors trying to get their driver’s licenses or transfer car titles.

Read more on Los Angeles Times