hassle
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a prolonged argument; wrangle
-
a great deal of trouble; difficulty; nuisance
verb
-
(intr) to quarrel or wrangle
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(tr) to cause annoyance or trouble to (someone); harass
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
hasslesimple
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hasslessimple
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have hassledperfect
-
has hassledperfect
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am hasslingprogressive
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are hasslingprogressive
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is hasslingprogressive
-
have been hasslingperfect progressive
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has been hasslingperfect progressive
Past
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hassledsimple
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had hassledperfect
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was hasslingprogressive
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were hasslingprogressive
-
had been hasslingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hassle
First recorded in 1935–40; origin uncertain
Explanation
Something that is bothersome or annoying can be called a hassle. It's a huge hassle to go back to the grocery store after unloading fifteen bags and realizing you forgot milk. The noun hassle can also refer to an argument or a scuffle. If you get into a hassle at school, you're likely to be called into the principal's office. As a verb, hassle means to annoy or harass repeatedly or chronically. If a bully is constantly hassling you, you should report them.
Vocabulary lists containing hassle
Ghost
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The Skin I'm In
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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.
The IRS recently eased some of the hassle for donors when it clarified they do not have to file a gift tax return reporting the donation.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
For first-time guests Ty Birtles and his girlfriend, the security protocol wasn’t really a hassle; it was easy to get in.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026
As a lawful permanent resident, or LPR, Lau would typically be let into the country without hassle, deemed “already admitted” rather than “seeking admission.”
From Slate • Jun. 23, 2026
But it’s a hassle that seniors and their families shouldn’t have to navigate at a vulnerable time, some experts say.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
Maybe it was because they were all so excited that I got in and to my seat without much hassle.
From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals
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.
