harassed
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
feeling tired and stressed because you have too much work or too many problems to deal with at once.
feeling strained or exhausted due to persistent demands, interruptions, or pressures.
Simple“The shop assistant looked harassed as she tried to help five customers at the same time.”
In context“The manager appeared increasingly harassed as the deadline approached, juggling constant phone calls while attempting to finalise the quarterly budget.”
UsageOften describes a person's appearance or facial expression.
Teacher's tipLearners often confuse this with 'busy'; 'harassed' implies a negative emotional state of being overwhelmed, not just having a lot to do.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
experiencing repeated, unpleasant, or threatening behaviour from someone else.
subjected to persistent, intrusive, or aggressive behaviour that causes distress.
Simple“The celebrity felt harassed by the photographers who followed her every move.”
In context“The committee investigated claims that junior staff felt harassed by the aggressive management style of the new director.”
UsageCommonly used in legal or workplace contexts regarding conduct.
Synonyms
From harass + -ed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.