harassment
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
unwanted behavior that makes you feel upset, worried, or unsafe, especially when it happens repeatedly.
the act of systematic or continued unwanted behavior that causes distress or fear in the recipient.
Simple“The company has a strict policy against any form of workplace harassment.”
In context“The legal definition of harassment often requires proof that the behavior was both unwanted and repeated over a period of time.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
unwanted sexual comments, looks, or physical contact that makes someone feel uncomfortable.
unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Simple“She reported the manager for sexual harassment after he made several inappropriate comments.”
In context“The human resources department conducted a thorough investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment brought by several employees.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
using many small attacks to tire out an enemy army.
the use of repeated small-scale attacks or maneuvers designed to wear down the morale and resources of an enemy force.
Simple“The soldiers used constant harassment to keep the enemy from resting.”
In context“The guerrilla forces relied on a strategy of constant harassment, avoiding major battles while slowly depleting the occupier's supplies and resolve.”
Synonymsattritionskirmishing
“A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the Trump administration that alleged Harvard University failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment.”
“Latest data from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA , on Thursday highlighted how Israeli settler “violence and harassment” have continued to target Palestinian communities across the West Bank.”
Borrowed from Middle French harassement. By surface analysis, harass + -ment.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.