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

• 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

A key measure of inflation used by the Federal Reserve to set interest rates posted the biggest increase in March in almost three years, marking another major hurdle for a resilient but harried U.S. economy.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 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

As the harried solo parent of a sick child, Byrne lets the camera zoom in so close to her character’s insecurities that the audience breaks out in a cold sweat.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 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

“What?” barked the assistant principal in a very harried tone.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman