harassment

/'hærəsmənt/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism: "Harassment" refers to the action of subjecting someone to aggressive pressure, intimidation, or unwanted and disturbing behavior repeatedly over time.
    • A feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented: "Harassment" can also describe the distressed psychological state resulting from such persistent torment.
Usage
  • The word "harassment" is typically used in legal, social, and workplace contexts to describe unacceptable, often systematic, behavior intended to disturb, threaten, or upset someone.
  • It is commonly modified by adjectives specifying the type, such as "sexual harassment," "workplace harassment," or "online harassment."
  • It functions as an uncountable noun when referring to the general concept or behavior, but can be countable when referring to specific instances or types.
Examples
  • Noun:
    • The company has a strict policy against any form of harassment.
    • She filed a complaint about the persistent harassment from her coworker.
    • The constant phone calls amounted to criminal harassment.
Advanced Usage
  • "To be subjected to harassment": to be made a victim of harassing behavior.
    • Employees must not be subjected to harassment of any kind.
  • "A campaign of harassment": a sustained, organized series of harassing acts.
    • The journalist faced a campaign of harassment for her critical reports.
Variants and Related Words
  • Harass (verb): to subject someone to harassment; to pester or annoy persistently.
    • It is illegal to harass someone based on their race.
  • Harasser (noun): a person who harasses someone.
    • The harasser was issued a restraining order.
Synonyms
  • Persecution: hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race, political, or religious beliefs.
  • Intimidation: the action of frightening or threatening someone, often to make them do something.
  • Bullying: the use of superior strength or influence to intimidate someone, typically to force them to do something.
Phrasal Verbs / Related Verb Phrases
  • To harass someone into doing something: to pressure someone relentlessly until they comply.
    • He was harassed into resigning from his position.
Related Idioms
  • A hostile work environment: This legal and idiomatic phrase often results from severe or pervasive harassment that makes it difficult for an employee to work.
    • The lawsuit claimed that the manager's behavior created a hostile work environment.
Noun
  1. the act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism
  2. a feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented
    • so great was his harassment that he wanted to destroy his tormentors