Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Harassment has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
a feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented
"so great was his harassment that he wanted to destroy his tormentors"
the act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism
"The manager's relentless email campaigns criticizing every minor mistake amounted to severe workplace harassment."
Persistent attacks and criticism causing worry and distress.
"The constant emails from his boss became a form of harassment that left him unable to focus on his work."
In plain English: Harassment is when someone repeatedly bothers, annoys, or threatens another person to make them feel uncomfortable or scared.
"The manager had to issue warnings after several employees were caught engaging in workplace harassment."
Usage: Harassment refers to persistent, unwanted behavior that causes significant anxiety or emotional distress rather than isolated incidents of rudeness. Use this term specifically when actions create a hostile environment through repeated intimidation, threats, or severe criticism.
The word harassment entered English directly from the Middle French term harassement. It originally referred to the act of troubling or annoying someone persistently.