harry

Definition of harrynext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb harry contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of harry are annoy, harass, pester, plague, tease, and worry. While all these words mean "to disturb or irritate by persistent acts," harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment.

the strikers had been harried by thugs

When can annoy be used instead of harry?

The words annoy and harry are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks.

you're doing that just to annoy me

Where would harass be a reasonable alternative to harry?

While the synonyms harass and harry are close in meaning, harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power.

harassed on all sides by creditors

When might pester be a better fit than harry?

The words pester and harry can be used in similar contexts, but pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks.

constantly pestered with trivial complaints

When would plague be a good substitute for harry?

The synonyms plague and harry are sometimes interchangeable, but plague implies a painful and persistent affliction.

plagued all her life by poverty

When is it sensible to use tease instead of harry?

While in some cases nearly identical to harry, tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath.

children teased the dog

In what contexts can worry take the place of harry?

The meanings of worry and harry largely overlap; however, worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation.

pursued a policy of worrying the enemy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of harry Servers in the very busy Studio Bar at cocktail hour were attentive, if harried at times, and the bartenders mix great drinks. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026 The Antonelli hype is real Norris harried Antonelli for the rest of the 57-lap race, but the reigning world champion could not force the Mercedes sophomore into a fault. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 4 May 2026 There is a lot of work to do, but Hurley does not sound stressed or harried as in years past. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Apr. 2026 She, too, was harried and didn’t devote enough time to self-care. — Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harry
Verb
  • After Miami scored in the second OT period, Omar Thornton sacked Daniels on first down, forced an incompletion on second down, got FSU to commit a false start and forced another incompletion to set up fourth and 21.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
  • He was sacked five times as Texas lost consecutive regular-season games for the first time since 2021.
    — Mark Long, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • From harassing Brady over his divorce from Gisele Bündchen on social media to trying to be a rapper and much more, Brown’s post-football life has been one filled with public outbursts and controversial statements and stunts.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Yet against Texas, the Gators stopped the Longhorns twice on fourth down, repeatedly harassed Manning and held the Texas offense under 300 total yards.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • As noted recently by Deadline, other Chinese AI models continue to plunder IP, including MiniMax H3, which generated videos that violated studio brand safety standards 55% of the time when an image was used in a prompt.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But there is very little archaeological evidence available, given that many of the earliest Egyptian tombs were plundered and/or hastily excavated.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • By the time his daughter shows up, flanked by her mom and upright dentist stepdad, Lee’s moved on from scolding the room to thanking his mother for believing him.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • District of Columbia Judge Ana Reyes angrily scolded government attorneys in a hearing to block the government from cutting down more trees at East Potomac Golf Course.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The interior ministry reported assaults on police, looting and damage to public buildings, saying there have been at least 272 arrests nationwide.
    — Tyler Speicher, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The young people set fire to electric hire bikes and looted at least one shop, a CNN producer on the ground witnessed.
    — Elina Baudier Kim, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Patinkin is the latest star to voice his support for Digger after the film was savaged by many critics and bombed at the box office.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Or that in its wake, Ducks coach Dan Lanning had savaged him and his program multiple times.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Rather than undertaking the difficult but just and moral work of reform of the nation's immigration laws, Vance would destroy and expel their families with a smile, claiming that such actions will save you money.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Running low on fuel, NASA chose to steer Cassini straight into Saturn's atmosphere, where the spacecraft was destroyed.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In the American psyche, data centers have become so reviled that big tech can’t even pay residents life changing money to welcome the facilities into their backyards.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026
  • He was admired by some as a charismatic statesman who put Italy on the world stage but reviled by others as a populist who used political power for personal gain.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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