English Explanatory Dictionary

harass

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To annoy (someone) frequently or systematically; to pester.
  2. To persistently bother (someone, or a group of people) physically or psychologically when such behaviour is illegal and/or unwanted, especially over an extended period.
  3. To put excessive burdens upon (someone); to subject (someone) to anxieties.
  4. To trouble (someone, or a group of people) through repeated military-style attacks.
  5. Often followed by out: to fatigue or tire (someone) with exhausting and repeated efforts.
noun
  1. Harassment; pestering.

Pronunciation

hərăsʹ /həˈɹæs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-harass.wav hăʹrəs /ˈhæɹəs/

Word forms

harass harasses harassing harassed

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle French, Old French harasser (“to exhaust, tire out, wear out; to harry, torment, vex”) (modern French harasser (“to exhaust, tire out, wear out”)), possibly from Old French harer (“to set a dog on”), from Frankish *hara (“here, hither”) (a command for a dog to attack), from Proto-Germanic *hē₂r (“here, in this place”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱe (“here; this”) + *ís (“the (person or thing just named)”) + *-r. The noun is derived from the verb.

Synonyms

beleaguer beset chevy harry molest plague badger bait bedevil persecute bug devil give someone grief harass hound pester pick at vex afflict distress aggrieve atray cag engrieve grame harrow torment trouble rend wring

Related words

nonharassment

Derived words

cyberharass don't ask, don't tell, don't harass, don't pursue harassable harassed harassedly harasser harassful harasshole harassing harassingly harassive harassment overharass sexually harass unharassable unharassed

Translations

Asturian: escorrexar Asturian: acorviar Asturian: atortorar Asturian: amocar Bengali: জ্বালাতন করা Bengali: সাতানো Bulgarian: безпокоя́ Bulgarian: дразня Catalan: fastiguejar Catalan: molestar Catalan: vexar Chinese Mandarin: 騷擾 /骚扰 Dutch: pesten Esperanto: turmentadi Finnish: hätyyttää Finnish: kiusata French: harceler German: belästigen Italian: importunare Italian: infastidire Italian: molestare Italian: tormentare Italian: vessare Jamaican Creole: badda badda Latin: vexō Māori: hawene Māori: whakakūrakuraku Māori: whakangari Māori: whakatīwheta Norwegian Bokmål: harselere Polish: dręczyć Polish: gnębić Polish: nękać Polish: prześladować Portuguese: assediar Portuguese: incomodar Portuguese: molestar Romanian: hărțui Russian: беспоко́ить Russian: досажда́ть Sanskrit: बाधति Scottish Gaelic: sàraich Spanish: acosar Spanish: hostigar Spanish: asicar Walloon: peler Walloon: soyî Walloon: tourmeter
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