hassle
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a situation that is annoying because it involves too many problems or too much effort.
n.a situation causing inconvenience or annoyance, often involving tedious tasks or bureaucratic obstacles.
Simple“It was such a hassle to get my visa renewed that I almost cancelled the trip.”
In context“The administrative hassle of moving to a new country often outweighs the initial excitement of the professional opportunity.”
UsageOften used with 'too much' or 'a bit of a'.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.a small fight or a loud argument with someone.
n.a heated argument or physical altercation, typically of a minor or repetitive nature.
Simple“I don't want any hassle from the neighbours about the noise.”
In context“The security guards were trained to de-escalate any potential hassle before it turned into a full-scale confrontation.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to annoy someone by asking them to do something many times.
v.to harass or pester someone continually, often with requests or demands.
Simple“My boss keeps hassling me about the report even though the deadline is next week.”
In context“Debt collectors began to hassle him with daily phone calls, despite his attempts to negotiate a payment plan.”
UsageUsually takes a direct object representing the person being bothered.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to practice air combat by chasing another plane in a fake fight.
v.to engage in a simulated aerial dogfight for training purposes.
Simple“The pilots spent the afternoon hassling over the desert to improve their skills.”
In context“During the advanced tactical phase, trainees are required to hassle with experienced instructors to master high-G defensive manoeuvres.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is highly specific to military aviation and rarely understood by the general public.
Synonymsdogfight
“Yet most consumers never or rarely return such products to avoid the hassle of the return process.”
“At the same time, they still want to avoid the hassle of searching for alternatives.”
Unknown. Probably from US Southern dialectal hassle (“to pant, breathe noisily”), possibly from haste + -le (frequentative suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.