hassle

American  

[has-uhl] / ˈhæs əl /

noun

1. a disorderly dispute.

   Synonyms:

   scrap, row, quarrel, squabble

2. a problem brought about by pressures of time, money, inconvenience, etc..

   Finding a decent place to have lunch in this neighborhood is always a hassle.

---

verb (used without object)

hassled, hassling

1. to dispute or quarrel.

   children hassling over who has the most toys.

   Synonyms:

   scrap, row, quarrel, squabble

2. to take time or effort.

   We don't want to hassle with all that waiting in line.

verb (used with object)

hassled, hassling

1. to bother, annoy, or harass.

   I'll do the work, so don't hassle me.

hassle British  

/ ˈhæsəl /

noun

1. a prolonged argument; wrangle

2. a great deal of trouble; difficulty; nuisance

---

verb

1. (intr) to quarrel or wrangle

2. (tr) to cause annoyance or trouble to (someone); harass

Other Word Forms

• unhassled adjective

Etymology

Origin of hassle

First recorded in 1935–40; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

It’s also kind of a hassle to go back and forth to the adult women’s dorm, because it’s on the other side of the Ranch’s sprawling main house.

From Literature

By 2010, nearly every college and applicant had gone online, with its innumerable conveniences: no issue making corrections, no hassle feeding pages into a typewriter, no trips to the post office.

From The Wall Street Journal

This way they could eventually be allocated among his heirs without repeating these hassles.

From The Wall Street Journal

If you think about it in terms of, say, eternity, it’s just a fraction of time you’re setting aside to spare your loved ones a big hassle.

From MarketWatch

A prospective soldier needed to bring his own weapon to join the military, a clever means of nationalizing Somaliland’s supply of loose guns while saving the government the cost and hassle of purchasing firearms.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bickering
• commotion
• difficulty
• inconvenience
• squabble
• tumult
• wrangle