harry

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 For newbies: Orphaned after the death of their parents, 6-year-old Lilo (Maia Kealoha), ostracized at school, is being raised by her devoted but harried teenage sister Nani (Sydney Agudong), nearing the age of adult guardianship. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025 These broken objects, and others like them, feed into my general sense of being harried, overburdened, and middle-aged. Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 6 May 2025 Here’s how the individual snaps were divided: Quarterback: Brock Purdy 59, Joshua Dobbs 5 One of the pregame storylines was how harried Purdy might be behind a makeshift offensive line. Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024 Bullets, bombs and electronic warfare harry both man and machine. Colin Demarest, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for harry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harry
Verb
  • The theory is that Favre took a dive so that New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan could sack him and break Gastineau’s record.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • He certainly will not be sacked, as Emery essentially runs all things football at Villa now.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police is hosting a petition saying Roley is harassing officers.
    Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 11 Aug. 2025
  • On college campuses, Jewish students were harassed, threatened and assaulted while too many progressive leaders looked away.
    Caren Leven, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Everybody could be tracked through their phone signal, and bank and cryptocurrency accounts could be plundered on a whim.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
  • Although the passengers managed to swim or be hauled on ropes to shore, much of the ship’s cargo—which included tea, brandy, nails, iron, and Wright’s paintings—was lost, washed out of the ship’s hold and either plundered by a passing privateer and people living nearby or sunk below the waves.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • Some have also scolded Colossal for tinkering with genetics, but the tech firm insists its work will aid in the conservation and protection of endangered species.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
  • With the camel’s back broken, Dorothy Scott, summoning all her righteous indignation (and channeled with maybe one-third of Audra McDonald’s extraordinary talent, which is still enough to power the city of Manhattan), lets the snobby scold have it.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • On Valentine’s Day, the home of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban was burglarized after intruders allegedly smashed their way in before looting the residence.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The Netanyahu government has repeatedly denied that a famine is taking place or that Israel is attempting to starve Palestinians by choking off food aid into the territories — often claiming that, despite scant evidence, Hamas is looting the supplies.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But DeGeneres ultimately refuted the claims that savaged her career.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 23 June 2025
  • Rarely has a wide release been more savaged by critics, sitting at 0 percent on Rotten Tomatoes for a long time.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • There were 25 diesel buses that were destroyed per the grant regulations, Young said.
    Harley Walls, Arkansas Online, 7 Aug. 2025
  • But when our home was destroyed, our studio lost, and the war displaced us to Khanyounis’s tent camps, cooking became less about flavor and more about survival.
    Hamada Shaqoura, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Paradise lost Alaska and Crimea remain linked in some ways today, both viewed as historic Russian regions lost by weak leaders – Yeltsin, the first president of independent Russia, is reviled for recognizing Crimea as part of Ukraine after the USSR collapsed.
    Dan Morrison, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Advertisement Some analysts have even suggested that Hun Sen has been enlisted by Thailand’s elites to finally topple the Shinawatra family, which remains reviled by royalists for its populist adulation amongst rural voters.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 25 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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