harry

The word “harry” means to repeatedly bother, pressure, or harass someone. In plain terms, to pester someone relentlessly, or to launch repeated small attacks on an enemy.

“Harry” is pronounced HA-ree (/ˈhæɹi/ in IPA).

Here is “harry” used in a sentence: “Debt collectors kept harrying him with phone calls.”

“Harry” is a verb.

The word “harry” comes from Old English. From Old English herġian, "to ravage or raid," ultimately from a Germanic word for "army.".

“Harry” is a very common word in modern English.

“Harry” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to repeatedly bother, pressure, or harass someone.

To harry someone is to bother, pressure, or harass them repeatedly, giving them no peace. It suggests a persistent, wearing campaign rather than a one-off annoyance — a reporter might harry a politician for answers. Historically it also meant to raid and lay waste to land, which is where the sense of relentless pressure comes from.

The two are close synonyms, both meaning to trouble someone persistently. "Harass" is the more common, everyday word and covers a wide range of unwanted pressure. "Harry" is a little more literary and stresses relentless, repeated pursuit, as if chasing or wearing someone down over time. In most sentences, harass is the safer choice.

It usually takes an object — the person being pressured. For example, "Creditors harried him for months," or "Fans harried the star for autographs." It works well when you want to stress ongoing, wearing pressure rather than a single act, and it carries a slightly formal or literary tone.

No — they just share a spelling. The verb "harry," meaning to harass or pester, is an old word tied to raiding and warfare. The first name Harry is a friendly form of Henry. They are pronounced the same and look identical, but their meanings and origins are entirely separate.