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Definition of harass

harass

/həˈræs/
ha · rass
Adverb:harassingly
•
Adjective:harassing
•
Past Simple:harassed
•
Past Participle:harassed
•
Present Participle:harassing
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harass Lexical Profile

harass Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To subject someone to aggressive pressure, intimidation, or persistent unwanted behavior.

Example

"The company has a strict policy against employees who harass their colleagues."

2

To make repeated small-scale attacks on an opponent in order to wear down their strength or morale.

Example

"Fast-moving scouts were sent ahead to harass the advancing forces along the border."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for harass
Antonyms
View all antonyms for harass

Word Nuance & Usage

'Harass' is commonly misspelled with double 'r' because of 'embarrass'; remember it has one 'r' and double 's'.

• Rhymes for harass

• Nearby Words

haptics
haram
harare
harass
harasser
harassment
harbin

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the early 17th century from French 'harasser' ('to tire out, vex'), probably derived from Old French 'harer' ('to set a dog on'), from the interjection 'hare' used to urge on hunting dogs.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Harass. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/harass
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