hassle 1 of 2

noun

ˈha-səl How to pronounce hassle (audio)
Definition of hasslenext
1
as in encounter
a brief clash between enemies or rivals the best way to avoid hassles with those aggressive panhandlers is to ignore them

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2
as in clash
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups the moment the police arrived, the hassle broke up, and no one was seriously injured

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions had a huge hassle with an airline representative before she got her ticket refunded

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4
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation it's a hassle to find a parking space downtown

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hassle

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to taunt
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults a small group of jeering protesters hassled the politically active singer at every appearance she made

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2
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily constantly hassled with the chef over the need to cook pork thoroughly

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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 hassle
Noun
Orders are placed at self-service kiosks, allowing guests to mix and match items from various vendors without the hassle of separate checks. — Senior Food Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 What The Contact Center Already Knows Every day, agents field the questions the website couldn’t answer, the confusion the last campaign created and the exact moment a customer decided the product wasn’t worth the hassle anymore. — Jay Lee, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
Others, who either forget or are unwilling to hassle the move, incur a $65 ticket and often a tow, creating a time-consuming obstacle for broom operators. — Norman Steisel, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 To be alone, after all, may be worse than being hassled. — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hassle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hassle
  1. encounter
  2. clash
  3. dispute
  4. headache
  5. taunt
  6. bicker
  7. skirmish
  8. controversy
Noun
  • Peters has denied the allegations and says the encounter was consensual.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The man who shot a gun in a road rage dispute outside Rangeview High School Tuesday has a history of violent road rage encounters, as alleged in arrest documents.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of encounter
Noun
  • But any Republican looking for the nomination to succeed Trump will have to sidestep the same sort of internal clashes over Israel that have bedeviled Democrats.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In Spain, the unrest was largely concentrated in Barcelona, unlike France, where protests and clashes spread across multiple cities.
    — Amanda Macias, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of clash
Noun
  • But the movement has widened to include workers demanding relief from rising living costs, making the government’s task broader than resolving a dispute over university admissions.
    — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Debt, the deficit and high interest rates limit the government’s ability to increase spending and foreshadow disputes over how to fund campaign promises without jeopardizing social programs.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • Those headaches create headwinds, but the underlying story provides support.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Residents have reported symptoms including burning in the eyes, lungs and sinuses, bad headaches and nausea.
    — Lana Zak, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of headache
Verb
  • More recently, Vega helped fund Diego Marcon’s Krapfen (2025), a film in which a child is taunted by invisible beings that sing and dance.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The woman, who also reported it to the league, alleged that Jackson refused to delete the video and taunted her with it.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of taunt
Verb
  • The two of them together, just 17 months apart, shared playlists, bickered over where to stop during Apple CarPlay calls, pulled up beside me and faded away with silly faces, encapsulating 20 years of my life in my rearview mirror.
    — Robert Duffer, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of bicker
Noun
  • Interior Secretary Harold Ickes ended the skirmish by imposing a truce and persuading Congress to designate the dam as a federal project.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • And then late in the second half, Miami was called for two 15-yard penalties following a punt with Bobby Pruitt called for a facemask and Keona Davis a personal foul that occurred during a skirmish after the play.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of skirmish
Noun
  • The incumbent senator accused his critics of lying about the controversy before acknowledging that his office sent patients with unpaid bills to collections.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • His season, which aired from September to November of that year, was plagued with controversy when Owens made headlines for comments about his dating age requirements before the show filmed.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of controversy

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Cite this Entry

“Hassle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hassle. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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