# harassed

/hɝˈæst/ (US) · /həɹˈæst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/harassed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. stressed and pressured

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling tired and stressed because you have too much work or too many problems to deal with at once.

For teachers: feeling strained or exhausted due to persistent demands, interruptions, or pressures.

- The shop assistant looked harassed as she tried to help five customers at the same time.
- The manager appeared increasingly harassed as the deadline approached, juggling constant phone calls while attempting to finalise the quarterly budget.

Usage: Often describes a person's appearance or facial expression.

Teaching tip: Learners often confuse this with 'busy'; 'harassed' implies a negative emotional state of being overwhelmed, not just having a lot to do.

### 2. subject to unwanted attention

adjective · CEFR B2

experiencing repeated, unpleasant, or threatening behaviour from someone else.

For teachers: subjected to persistent, intrusive, or aggressive behaviour that causes distress.

- The celebrity felt harassed by the photographers who followed her every move.
- The committee investigated claims that junior staff felt harassed by the aggressive management style of the new director.

Usage: Commonly used in legal or workplace contexts regarding conduct.

## Examples

- She felt harassed by the constant phone calls.
- The customer felt harassed by the sales assistant who followed her around the store.
- He felt harassed by the relentless media scrutiny, which left him anxious and unable to focus on his work.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.