harass
Harass (verb) means to repeatedly trouble, pester, or intimidate someone, especially in a way that is unwanted or illegal. Example: “He was fired for harassing a colleague over several months.”
How to use harass
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo repeatedly bother, intimidate, or attack someone.
Note the spelling: one R, two S's — "harass," not "harrass."
Word forms
harassed past tense, harasses plural, harasses singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He was fired for _____ a colleague over several months.
Etymology
From French harasser ("to exhaust, torment"), possibly from Old French harer, a command used to set a dog on someone or something.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “harass” mean?
The word “harass” means to repeatedly trouble, pester, or intimidate someone, especially in a way that is unwanted or illegal. In plain terms, to repeatedly bother, intimidate, or attack someone.
How do you pronounce “harass”?
“Harass” is pronounced huh-RAS (/həˈɹæs/ in IPA).
How do you use “harass” in a sentence?
Here is “harass” used in a sentence: “He was fired for harassing a colleague over several months.”
What part of speech is “harass”?
“Harass” is a verb.
Where does the word “harass” come from?
The word “harass” comes from Old French. From French harasser ("to exhaust, torment"), possibly from Old French harer, a command used to set a dog on someone or something.
Is “harass” a common word?
“Harass” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “harass” have?
“Harass” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to repeatedly trouble, pester, or intimidate someone, especially in a way that is unwanted or illegal.