What does harass mean?
Harass means to subject someone to persistent, unwanted attention or pressure, often through repeated requests, messages, threats, or intrusive behavior. The verb is especially associated with troubling, intimidating, or obstructing a person, and it has an important social and legal dimension: sexual harassment and workplace harassment name forms of conduct that can violate civil or criminal law. Harass is stronger and more serious than simply pester or bother because it suggests a continuing course of behavior rather than a minor annoyance. In ordinary use, the word also has a mildly formal tone, although its legal and everyday senses overlap. A person who harasses another may be called a harasser, and the resulting conduct is harassment. Harassment can occur face to face or online, although the legal definition depends on the jurisdiction. The word is useful because it identifies both the unwanted pressure itself and the persistence that distinguishes it from a single uncomfortable incident.
verbTo subject someone to repeated unwanted attention, pressure, or threats, especially in a way that troubles, intimidates, or obstructs them.
- To trouble, intimidate, or persistently annoy someone with unwanted attention, demands, or behavior.
- To obstruct, impede, or repeatedly interfere with someone or something.
"The persistent calls continued to harass her long after she had asked for the calls to stop."
"Reporters continued to harass the witness despite repeated requests that they leave her alone."
"Persistent technical problems continued to harass the engineers working to restore the service."
Behind the word's modern sense of relentless pressure lies an equine beginning: its French ancestor was associated with a building for horses.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does harass come from?
The English verb was borrowed in the early 17th century from French harasser, meaning to batter, vex, or pursue, which developed from haras, a building or enclosure for horses. The deeper origin of French haras is uncertain. Over time, the English word developed from physical assault and pursuit toward its modern sense of repeatedly troubling or intimidating someone.
Related word forms
How harass is actually used
Harass is stronger and more serious than bother or pester, since it usually implies persistent or threatening conduct. It is used in both everyday and legal contexts, including sexual, workplace, and online harassment.
Easily confused with harass
Harsh describes something severe, severe, or unkind, whereas harass means to subject someone to persistent unwanted attention or pressure.