1
as in frightening
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2
as in annoying
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as in killing
to use up all the physical energy of
had been visibly harassed by the demands of the presidency
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Recent Examples of harassing
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
Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
—CBS News, 14 May 2026
Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
During a motions hearing in May 2024, prosectors presented evidence of Bryant having a history of harassing and stalking young women, even breaking into their apartments, per 11 Alive.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
Monday night when the teen suspect and two friends woke him up and began harassing him, at one point urinating in a cup and throwing it on the victim, according to prosecutors citing surveillance footage.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
California must pursue any and all options to keep ICE or federal troops from occupying our state and harassing our communities, especially with racially targeted and unconstitutional tactics.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
That same day, Julie Harding was arrested in Kentucky on suspicion of criminal trespassing after allegedly harassing her husband’s girlfriend.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Baldoni, who directed the film and starred in it with Lively, had denied harassing her or orchestrating a smear campaign.
—Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
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
The attorney for a businessman accused of harassing an endangered Hawaiian monk seal is publicly defending his client after a viral video captured the incident and sparked outrage online.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
—CBS News, 14 May 2026
Lytvynchuk is charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
During a motions hearing in May 2024, prosectors presented evidence of Bryant having a history of harassing and stalking young women, even breaking into their apartments, per 11 Alive.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
Monday night when the teen suspect and two friends woke him up and began harassing him, at one point urinating in a cup and throwing it on the victim, according to prosecutors citing surveillance footage.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
California must pursue any and all options to keep ICE or federal troops from occupying our state and harassing our communities, especially with racially targeted and unconstitutional tactics.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
That same day, Julie Harding was arrested in Kentucky on suspicion of criminal trespassing after allegedly harassing her husband’s girlfriend.
—Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Baldoni, who directed the film and starred in it with Lively, had denied harassing her or orchestrating a smear campaign.
—Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harassing
Adjective
-
Eidinger is perfect for the role, and his escalating temper tantrums — almost camp at first, with delicious echoes of Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa — become frightening in their intensity.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
-
But at Medley Club, residents never lost power during the entire frightening ordeal.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Sixty-three percent of Glamour readers polled think lurking is annoying and also kind of creepy.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
18 May 2026
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For instance, many partners have small gripes or annoyances with habits that are annoying at worst, but far from an outright red flag — like a partner that chews somewhat loudly, leaves cabinet doors open or hums constantly while working.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Is God Is is a story about twin sisters Racine (Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson), tasked with killing their abusive, absentee father at the request of their mother.—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
19 May 2026
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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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
Adjective
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Structured as entries in Emily’s field journal, the novel lays out her aims, her curmudgeonly nature and her pestiferous relationship with one Wendell Bambleby — a charismatic fellow researcher and sometime rival who Emily suspects is a fairy himself.—
Amal El-Mohtar,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2023
-
The whole event was lousy with pestiferous Bible-banging.—
Charles P. Pierce,
Esquire,
12 Dec. 2017
Verb
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On her lunch break, mama walks us over to the library still wearing her scrubs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
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Laneda taught Sunday school, and her sons were Cornerstone ushers, wearing white gloves and delivering a welcome address to visitors at the start of Sunday services.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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As Nikki transforms from an ordinary young woman into an unhinged force willing to do anything to keep Bear to herself, Navarrette delivers a seamless and chilling performance that has quickly positioned her as one of horror’s most exciting new talents.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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There’s probably a smart, chilling film to be made about the terrors of smothering and relentless adoration — one imagines what Rod Serling would have done with something like this — but this isn’t really that film.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Elsa’s inquisitive presence almost instantly irritates Amalia, as the latter refuses to simply acquiesce to her relentless quizzing.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
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The two share an inquisitive and child-like energy, turning heavy conversations about growing up broke, the solitude of incarceration, and desperate cries for attention, into something remarkably light.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harassing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harassing. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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