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Synonyms

hassle

American  
[has-uhl] / ˈhæs əl /

noun

  1. a disorderly dispute.

    Synonyms:
    scrap, row, quarrel, squabble

  2. a problem brought about by pressures of time, money, inconvenience, etc..

    Finding a decent place to have lunch in this neighborhood is always a hassle.

verb (used without object)

hassled, hassling

  1. to dispute or quarrel.

    children hassling over who has the most toys.
    Synonyms:
    scrap, row, quarrel, squabble

  2. to take time or effort.

    We don't want to hassle with all that waiting in line.

verb (used with object)

hassled, hassling

  1. to bother, annoy, or harass.

    I'll do the work, so don't hassle me.
hassle British  
/ ˈhæsəl /

noun

  1. a prolonged argument; wrangle

  2. a great deal of trouble; difficulty; nuisance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (intr) to quarrel or wrangle

  2. (tr) to cause annoyance or trouble to (someone); harass

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unhassled adjective

Etymology

Origin of hassle

First recorded in 1935–40; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When BBC Scotland News visited, two workmen painting road markings said they had been "hassled" by locals while going about their jobs.

From BBC

Others said it’s not worth it to dress up, especially given the hassles now often associated with air travel.

From MarketWatch

Others said it’s not worth it to dress up, especially given the hassles now often associated with air travel.

From MarketWatch

Some AI hyperscalers already are building their own power plants to avoid the permitting hassles of grid connection.

From The Wall Street Journal

Because skipping songs on a player was a hassle, most people sat with cassette albums as a track-by-track, linear journey, the antithesis to the algorithmic, shuffle-centric playlists ubiquitous on today’s streaming platforms.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.