hassle

1 of 2

noun

has·​sle ˈha-səl 

1

: a heated often protracted argument : wrangle

embroiling myself in a long, exasperating hassle with masons

—S. J. Perelman

2

: a violent skirmish : fight

3

a

: a state of confusion : turmoil

all hassle and hurly-burly

—Ellery Queen

b

: an annoying or troublesome concern

avoid the hassle of filling out paperwork

flight delays and other hassles of holiday travel

too much of a hassle to bother with

hassle

2 of 2

verb

hassled; hassling ˈha-s(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: argue, fight

hassled with the umpire

transitive verb

: to annoy persistently or acutely : harass

gets hassled by the cops

Synonyms

Noun

• brush
• encounter
• run-in
• scrape
• skirmish

Verb

• bait
• haze
• heckle
• needle
• ride
• taunt
• tease

Examples of hassle in a Sentence

Noun

All this paperwork is a hassle.

They've had to deal with flight delays and all of the other hassles of holiday travel.

He got into a hassle with his landlord.

Verb

Other kids were always hassling her because she was overweight.

I'm sick of being hassled by telemarketers.

I don't have time to hassle with you about this! Just do what I tell you to do!

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Archway Homes will buy the home and make the repairs needed, relieving the sellers of the hassle and expense. —Archway Homes, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2025

The ability to move money around without hassle will undoubtedly reshape the global financial system, because stablecoins are about more than making payments cheaper for supermarkets or easier for small businesses in other countries. —David G.w. Birch, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

Verb

For both of City’s goals, Nico was able to hassle his opponent and win the ball back. —Sam Lee, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

And so there was Tonali harrying and hassling from the off. —George Caulkin, New York Times, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

perhaps blend of harass and hustle

First Known Use

Noun

1945, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1951, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for hassle

• castle
• facile
• gracile
• hassall
• passel
• tassel
• vassal
• fluorouracil
• thiouracil
• forecastle
• uracil
• propylthiouracil

Kids Definition

hassle

1 of 2 verb

has·​sle ˈhas-əl 

hassled; hassling

-(ə-)liŋ

1

: argue sense 2, dispute

hassled with the umpire

2

: to annoy continuously : harass

hassle

2 of 2 noun

1

: argument sense 2

2

: fight entry 2 sense 1a

3

: something that is annoying or troublesome