harassment
- 1Bothering or scaring someone on purpose, again and again.
Like someone poking you over and over and not stopping even when you ask.
The harassment from the other kids made her scared to go to school.
He told a teacher about the harassment so it would finally stop.
Similarbullying, intimidation, pestering, persecution, torment
Note
- 2Attacking and criticizing someone over and over until they feel worried and upset.
Like being picked on every day until you feel too sad to keep going.
The online harassment left her worried every time she opened her phone.
Months of harassment from the critics slowly wore down the young writer.
Similarabuse, persecution, hounding, vilification
- 3Wearing down an enemy with many small, repeated attacks.
Like a swarm of small bugs that keeps biting until a big animal gives up.
The soldiers used harassment to slow the enemy without a big battle.
Constant harassment finally forced the troops to retreat from the valley.
Note
Practice
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Origin
It came from Middle French "harassement." You can also see it as "harass" plus "-ment."