harried

American  

[har-eed] / ˈhær id /

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.

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unharried
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of harried

harry ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Someone who is harried is feeling the stress of being rushed, overworked, or harassed. A harried parent might be exhausted but still have to make 3 dozen cupcakes for school and help with a science project. Harried comes from the verb harry, which itself is from the Middle English word herigan, meaning to pillage, plunder, or make war. Today, harried doesn't imply an act of war, but rather someone who is frazzled or a situation that might cause that feeling. If the project you're working on has been harried from start to finish, you'll be lucky to keep your sanity.

Example Sentences

“True, we’ve had misunderstandings. Though the ring knows when I’ve been walking, it confuses my harried morning routine for housework. After making a dinner one night, the ring asked whether I’d been on the elliptical.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Igor Jesus hit his own bar, Richarlison pressed and harried and Mathys Tel produced one of his better displays.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

When they were first married, Heather was a harried corporate lawyer working long hours.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

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

From Barron's • Nov. 12, 2025

Mr. Waterman bustles in looking merry but harried, like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve just before the big ride.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon