harry

verb

Definition of harrynext
1
as in to sack

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to harass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Bullets, bombs and electronic warfare harry both man and machine. —Colin Demarest, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025 Ukrainian short-range drones are harrying Russian forces on the devastated battlefields while long-range strike craft hit targets closer to home. —David Brennan, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2025 Sign up for Prime Video to watch The Bondsman ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ Apple TV+, April 11 No one does harried rich man quite like Jon Hamm. —Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025 Café service is not harried and cappuccino and croissants can be surreally delicious at excellent prices. —Tom Mullen, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for harry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harry
  1. sack
  2. harass
  3. plunder
  4. scold
  5. loot
  6. savage
  7. destroy
  8. revile
Verb
  • Paulo Fonseca was sacked in December, while the end of the season saw the club decide to end Sergio Conceicao’s tenure after an eighth-place finish.
    — Adam Digby, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Former Porto head coach Conceicao was sacked after just five months in charge on Thursday following a disappointing eighth place finish in Serie A that saw the club miss out on European qualification for 2025-26.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Definition of sack
Verb
  • The lawsuit said Robinson harassed and assaulted his former housekeepers who worked at his Chatsworth home between 2006 and 2024.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2025
  • The message must be clear: Under this administration the IRS will serve the people—not harass them.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Definition of harass
Verb
  • After France fell to Germany, the Nazis requisitioned the museum as a sorting facility for art plundered from French Jewish dealers and citizens disenfranchised by the state.
    — Nina Siegal, New York Times, 17 May 2025
  • Some Quebecois housed troops or joined pro-patriot militias; others joined the British in firing muskets and artillery at the men invading their homeland and plundering their homesteads.
    — Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 May 2025
Definition of plunder
Verb
  • At another meeting in May 2024, Grippo scolded female employees for not working hard enough, although the team was high-performing and employees worked long hours, the lawsuit said.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
  • In January at the annual World Economic Forum, President Donald Trump scolded Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Definition of scold
Verb
  • Fifty priceless artifacts looted from Egypt and Pakistan — and trafficked through Manhattan by two notorious antiquities dealers — have been returned to their home countries, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has announced.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 2 June 2025
  • Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told reporters that four stores were looted overnight.
    — Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 June 2025
Definition of loot
Verb
  • The show savages comedic divas, lascivious network executives, Vegas casino moguls, quirky denizens of writers’ rooms and every flavor of personal assistant imaginable.
    — Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • This one — initially propelled by anger at Trump and the Republicans’ approach to health care and gun violence — savages Trump nightly, leading the president to make calls to Disney in 2018, urging it to rein him in.
    — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of savage
Verb
  • The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a plea from a group of Native American activists and supporters to block a copper mining company from destroying an Apache religious site.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2025
  • Another key feature of algae oil is its high smoke point of 535 degrees—the temperature at which oil begins to break down, release dangerous chemicals, and destroy its nutrients.
    — Jonathan Purtell, Verywell Health, 27 May 2025
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Robert Irsay was reviled in Baltimore following the move.
    — Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
  • The results were as delightfully singular as they were critically reviled.
    — Calum Marsh, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Definition of revile

Browse Nearby Words

harrows
harry
harrying
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Cite this Entry

“Harry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harry. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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