2 syllables: har, assed. Stress on assed.
hur-AST
/hɚˈæst/
harassed is pronounced hur-AST (/hɚˈæst/). It has two syllables (har-assed), with the stress on "assed". Harassed is the past participle/adjective form of the verb harass, meaning persistently troubled or annoyed someone, often with repeated aggressive behavior. In use, it describes enduring pressure or intimidation, whether by individuals or systems, and can also refer to legal or formal contexts where intimidation or harassment is alleged or proven.
Harassed is the past participle/adjective form of the verb harass, meaning persistently troubled or annoyed someone, often with repeated aggressive behavior. In use, it describes enduring pressure or intimidation, whether by individuals or systems, and can also refer to legal or formal contexts where intimidation or harassment is alleged or proven.
- You’ll often hear people say har-rist or har-rist? Instead, be sure the second syllable is a schwa: /ˈhær.əst/. - Another error is rushing the /t/ after /s/? Actually, the /t/ can be released, but avoid a heavy explosion that disrupts the /st/ cluster. - A frequent mistake is the /r/ sound in UK or AU influencing the first syllable; in many UK/AU varieties, /r/ is not pronounced before a vowel, but in harassed, the /r/ is part of the initial syllable if your accent is rhotic. Practice by isolating the first syllable /ˈhær/ and then the second /əst/.
"She felt harassed by the constant calls from debt collectors."
"Workers reported being harassed by supervisors, which led to an internal investigation."
"The online commenters harassed the journalist after the article was published."
Say HAR-uhst with the primary stress on HAR. IPA: US ˈhær.əst, UK ˈhæ.rəst, AU ˈhæ.rəsst depending on rhythm. Start with a short front-open vowel /æ/ as in ‘cat’, then a schwa-like /ə/ in the second syllable, finishing with /st/. Keep the final /st/ crisp but not explosive. You can listen to native samples on Pronounce, Cambridge, and Forvo for reference.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress or shortening the vowel sounds (e.g., saying ˈher-ast). Correction: keep HAR as the stressed syllable with /ær/ then /ə/ for the second syllable. 2) Vowel merge in the second syllable, making /ə/ sound like /ɪ/ or /ɜ:/; correction: use a neutral /ə/ (schwa) for the second syllable. 3) Dropping or softening the t in final /st/; correction: release the /t/ with a light but audible /s/ before it. Practice slowly: ˈhær.əst.
In US, stress stays on first syllable: ˈhær.əst with a clean /æ/ and a non-rhotic? US is rhotic but the /r/ is lightly realized only in the first syllable before the /ə/. UK typically uses /hæ.rəst/ with non-rhoticity in some dialects; many speakers still reconnect the /r/ rarely, producing an /ə/ followed by /st/. AU is similar to UK/US with slight vowel nasalization and tends to maintain a pure /æ/ in the first vowel and a crisp /st/. Overall, the difference lies in rhoticity and vowel quality: US often realizes /ɹ/ in the first syllable, UK and AU can be more vowel-centered and less rhotic in rapid speech.
Because of the two-syllable structure with a stressed first syllable and a reduced second vowel, the mouth sequence must switch quickly from /ær/ to a schwa /ə/ and then to a final /st/. The /r/ in US speech can complicate timing, and the /ɹ/ contrasts with the following /ə/ in rhotic vs non-rhotic accents. Additionally, the final /st/ sequence requires precise tongue-tip contact and sibilant clarity. Mastery comes from practicing the transition from /ær/ to /ə/ without inserting extra vowels.
The word features a stressed first syllable with a short, bright /æ/ and a reduced second syllable. A common nuance is ensuring the second syllable remains clearly a schwa rather than becoming a reduced /ɪ/ or /əː/; also avoid inserting extra vowel sounds between /ə/ and /st/. In careful speech, you maintain a clean /ˈhær.əst/ across dialects, using a quick but crisp /st/.
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- US: Pronounce /ˈhær.əst/ with a rhotic initial, keeping the R lightly pronounced only before the vowel; non-rhotic tendencies may drop R in standard British English. - UK: /ˈhæ.rəst/ often has a more pronounced /r/ in some accents; maintain a clear /r/ if your variant is rhotic, or drop it if non-rhotic. - AU: Similar to UK, with slight vowel widening and a crisp /st/; ensure the first vowel is /æ/ and the second syllable uses a neutral /ə/; keep the final cluster tight. Reference IPA: US ˈhær.əst, UK ˈhæ.rəst, AU ˈhæ.rəst.
Harass comes from Middle French harasser (to harass, to harry, to irritate), from Old French harrasser, likely related to harer (to harry, to plunder) and ultimately of uncertain origin, possibly connected to horned or alarming sounds used to frighten. The form harassed emerged in English by the late 16th century as the verb harass gained sense of “to harry, to harass” and the past participle/adjective harassed followed its use in constructions like harassed by questions or harassed workers. The meaning expanded from physical harassment to psychological and legal contexts as societies formalized concepts of intimidation, harassment, and persecution. In modern usage, harassed typically conveys sustained, unwanted pressure, often with social or organizational power dynamics, and is used across personal, workplace, and online domains. First known usages appear in early modern English texts, but the semantic field clearly coalesced in the 19th and 20th centuries with labor rights, civil rights, and anti-harassment legislation.
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Words that rhyme with "harassed"
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