harass

verb

hə-ˈras How to pronounce harass (audio)
Definition of harassnext
as in to kill
to use up all the physical energy of had been visibly harassed by the demands of the presidency

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb harass contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of harass are annoy, harry, pester, plague, tease, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

Where would annoy be a reasonable alternative to harass?

While in some cases nearly identical to harass, annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

When could harry be used to replace harass?

The words harry and harass are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

When might pester be a better fit than harass?

In some situations, the words pester and harass are roughly equivalent. However, pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

When is it sensible to use plague instead of harass?

The words plague and harass can be used in similar contexts, but plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

When can tease be used instead of harass?

While the synonyms tease and harass are close in meaning, tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

When would worry be a good substitute for harass?

Although the words worry and harass have much in common, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of harass The following year, Hezbollah kidnapped Israeli soldiers on the border and dragged Israel and Lebanon into an ugly war defined by Hezbollah's use of hundreds of cheap rockets to harass Israeli civilians. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 Their mission: To be a calming and moral presence, to field questions about the election process and to employ de-escalation techniques to prevent or quash any efforts to harass or intimidate voters. —Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024 In an application for a restraining order, which was granted by a judge, a woman alleged that Ali harassed, bullied and threatened her. —Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024 In an August 2023 interview with People, LaPaglia confessed that Bryan fans were harassing her. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for harass 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harass
  1. kill
  2. wear
  3. exhaust
  4. tire
Verb
  • Finally, as is obvious to most observers, Israel cannot kill its way out of the threat posed by Hamas and other armed Palestinian factions.
    John Spencer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
  • At least 100 people were killed, and about 20 more were still missing as of mid-October.
    Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
Definition of kill
Verb
  • The main event will be eight, two-minute rounds instead of 10 or 12 three-minute rounds and both fighters will wear 14-ounce gloves rather than 10-ounce gloves.
    Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The uniforms will be worn for six regular-season home games in total.
    Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024
Definition of wear
Verb
  • The divisive race has left Americans exhausted and on edge, Sonoma State Political Science Professor David McCuan said.
    Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Javonte Williams, Running Back Williams, 24, came to Denver with high expectations after the team exhausted a second-round pick on the North Carolina product back in 2021.
    Vincent Frank, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Definition of exhaust
Verb
  • With Ortiz in the mix that’s sufficient ammo in a large field, especially if the prospect of a duel between the top two horses winds up tiring those two out.
    Guy Martin, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
  • The long, frustrating phone call had tired my mother out.
    Yukio Mishima, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
Definition of tire

Thesaurus Entries Near harass

haranguing

harass

harassed

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Harass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harass. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on harass

Nglish: Translation of harass for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of harass for Arabic Speakers

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