harassing 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in frightening

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2
as in annoying

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harassing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of harass
as in killing
to use up all the physical energy of had been visibly harassed by the demands of the presidency

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 harassing
Adjective
The first complaint, in which a clerk made similar accusations of abusive and harassing conduct, was filed with the circuit court in 2022, not long after Merriam’s appointment. — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 1 Jan. 2026 The line is crossed when someone’s conduct at work becomes disrespectful, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, or disruptive to the team. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
Powerless even against the most run-of-the-mill villains, the men casually harassing her at the diner. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 The settlers, emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government, have ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and villages, harassing residents and setting homes, mosques and fields ablaze. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Tyler Muehl, 18, who lives in the San Diego seaside neighborhood of La Jolla, entered his plea in a federal courtroom to a misdemeanor violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act’s prohibition on harassing wildlife, the Justice Department said. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026 Muehl pleaded guilty to knowingly and unlawfully taking a marine mammal by harassing and hunting it. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 Lang has visited Dearborn before and was seen walking around the streets and going to city council meetings, shouting Islamophobic rhetoric and harassing residents. — Heath Kalb, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 The Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia last month and have been routinely harassing shipping since. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026 In January 2023, the victim began to receive harassing phone calls, texts and messages across several social media applications from Willis, the document said. — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026 Baldoni denied ever harassing Lively or retaliating against her. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harassing
  1. frightening
  2. annoying
  3. killing
  4. persecutory
  5. pestiferous
  6. wearing
  7. chilling
  8. inquisitive
Adjective
  • But the ordeal was frightening and bewildering for Cliffel, who still didn't know what had caused her behavior.
    — Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a frightening imbalance in how the mainstream media report on these candidates, which tends to take it pretty easy on the latter.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • The best mascaras for older women help coat lashes with color while addressing the annoying issues that come with age.
    — Micaela English, Glamour, 14 Aug. 2026
  • First, dust the surface to eliminate any annoying dust and dirt particles.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of annoying
Verb
  • Ukraine launched hundreds of drones across Russia Sunday, killing at least six people in one of Kyiv’s largest aerial attacks of the war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Thompson’s killing outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel ignited a multistate manhunt that ended five days later, when police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, arrested Mangione in a McDonald’s.
    — Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of killing
Adjective
  • For example, Americans living during World War II developed persecutory delusions involving Germans, while those living during the Cold War focused on communists.
    — Alaina Vandervoort Burns, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of persecutory
Adjective
  • After the Thirty Years’ War (1618-48), the Dutch were probably eager for reminders of ordinary domestic life, even pestiferous ones, and for images of quiet and tenderness.
    — Willard Spiegelman, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2017
  • Disease relies on a variety of pestiferous vectors for the transmission of infective bacteria.
    — Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016
Definition of pestiferous
Verb
  • Police described the intruder as a 6-foot-tall skinny Black man between 30 and 40 years old, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.
    — Logan Hall, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Crystal Kung-Minkoff is the first to show up, wearing the titular trousers.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of wearing
Adjective
  • The chilling tale marks YouTube creator Curry Barker’s debut feature.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In the documentary, Barker remembers the events of the night in chilling detail.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of chilling
Adjective
  • Growing out of your expert image means becoming the most inquisitive and empowering person in the room instead of the most impressive one.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • With his caring heart, inquisitive mind, and joyful spirit, Adam has so much to offer.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 July 2026
Definition of inquisitive

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Cite this Entry

“Harassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harassing. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of harassing for Spanish Speakers

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