harass

[ huh-ras, har-uhs ]

verb (used with object)

1. to disturb or bother persistently; torment, as with troubles or cares; pester:

   He stays up late, harassed with doubt and anxiety.

   Synonyms: annoy, hector, plague, vex, badger

2. to intimidate or coerce, as with persistent demands or threats:

   Apparently a parent has been harassing the school principal with late-night phone calls.

3. to subject to unwelcome sexual advances:

   I was harassed by my boss many years ago.

4. to trouble by repeated attacks, incursions, etc., as in war or hostilities; harry; raid.

   Synonyms: beset, besiege

harass

/ ˈhærəs; həˈræs /

verb

1. tr to trouble, torment, or confuse by continual persistent attacks, questions, etc

Pronunciation Note

harass , a 17th-century borrowing from French, has traditionally been pronounced in English as [har, -, uh, s], with stress on the first syllable. A newer pronunciation, [h, uh, -, ras], has developed in North American (but not British) English and has become the more common one in the U.S., especially among younger speakers.

Derived Forms

• ˈharassing, adjectivenoun
• ˈharassment, noun
• ˈharassed, adjective

Other Words From

• ha·rassa·ble adjective
• ha·rasser noun
• ha·rassing·ly adverb
• ha·rassment noun
• over·harass verb (used with object)
• un·ha·rassed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of harass¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from French, Middle French harasser “to harry, harass,” verbal derivative of harace, harache (in phrase courre a la harace “pursue”), equivalent to hare “cry used to urge dogs on” (from Frankish hara (unattested) “here, from this side”; compare Old High German hera, Middle Dutch hare ) + -asse augmentative or pejorative suffix, from Latin -ācea

Word History and Origins

Origin of harass¹

C17: from French harasser, variant of Old French harer to set a dog on, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German harēn to cry out

Synonym Study

See worry.

Example Sentences

The nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who resigned from Congress on Wednesday, is the clearest sign yet that Trump intends to govern as an authoritarian who will use all the levers of the state to harass his critics and avowed opponents.

From Salon

It’s hard to blame them: A third or more of students and parents harass them when they don’t.

From Los Angeles Times

Eventually, at the advice of his public defender, he stopped going out alone so much, hoping to avoid deputies he said he feared might harass him.

From Los Angeles Times

With the #MeToo movement came laws better regulating nondisclosure agreements, temporary windows for victims to file old sex abuse lawsuits, and broader recognition of how some men use their power to harass, manipulate, and abuse women and girls.

From Slate

Instead of paying billions to harass and separate families, we can better protect poor, neglected, and abused children through direct financial support for parents.

From Salon

Related Words

• burn
• hassle
• heckle
• hound
• intimidate
• persecute
• pester
• raid
• tease
• torment