harassment
gb/hɚˈæsmənt/ us/hɚˈæsmənt/
B2
English
~ 9800
zaklatás, szexuális zaklatás
NOUN
B2
1
zaklatás
B2
Usage pattern:
harassment of [someone] by [someone]
She left the company after months of harassment from her manager.
Hónapokig tartó, a főnöke részéről érkező zaklatás után otthagyta a céget.
Online harassment has become a serious problem on social media platforms.
Az online zaklatás komoly problémává vált a közösségi médiában.
The school has a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of harassment.
Neighbors say they have suffered ongoing harassment from the group for over a year.
He filed a complaint about racial harassment in his apartment building.
Learner examples
She reported the harassment to her boss.
Bejelentette a zaklatást a főnökénél.
The student was afraid because of the constant harassment from other students.
A diák félt a többi tanuló állandó zaklatása miatt.
Online harassment can make people feel very unsafe.
The company wants to stop all harassment at work.
The new rule is meant to protect workers from harassment.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *harassment* for any single rude action. In English, *harassment* usually suggests repeated or ongoing unwanted behavior, not just one small incident. Learners may also confuse *harassment* with *assault*; *assault* usually involves physical attack or clear threat of physical harm, while *harassment* can be non-physical (messages, comments, pressure).
Meaning
repeated unwanted hostile behavior
Collocations
workplace harassment
|online harassment
|racial harassment
|campaign of harassment
|harassment and intimidation
|report harassment
Synonyms
bullying (Often used for repeated cruel behavior, especially among children or in workplaces; sometimes sounds less formal than 'harassment'.)
|
persecution (Stronger and more formal; suggests long-term, severe harassment, often for religious or political reasons.)
|
intimidation (Focuses more on making someone feel afraid or powerless, which is often part of harassment.)
Antonyms
support (Describes helpful, caring behavior instead of repeated harmful or pressuring behavior.)
|
protection (Refers to keeping someone safe from threats or pressure, the opposite of causing them through harassment.)
Themes
social_issues
|law
|work
|internet
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Repeated and unwanted actions that make a person feel upset, scared, or under pressure.
Persistent and unwanted behavior that annoys, pressures, threatens, or otherwise seriously bothers someone.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
sexual harassment of [someone] by [someone]
The company fired the supervisor after several employees reported sexual harassment.
A cég kirúgta a vezetőt, miután több alkalmazott szexuális zaklatást jelentett.
New laws require all managers to receive training on preventing sexual harassment.
Az új törvények előírják, hogy minden vezető képzést kapjon a szexuális zaklatás megelőzéséről.
She filed a sexual harassment complaint against her colleague.
The actor denied the allegations of sexual harassment made against him.
Universities are under pressure to improve how they handle reports of sexual harassment on campus.
Learner examples
She went to HR to talk about sexual harassment from her boss.
Elment a HR-osztályra, hogy beszéljen a főnöke általi szexuális zaklatásról.
The office has rules to stop sexual harassment.
Az irodában vannak szabályok a szexuális zaklatás megakadályozására.
He was punished for sexual harassment at work.
Students learned about sexual harassment in a school workshop.
The company takes sexual harassment very seriously.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse *sexual harassment* with *sexual assault*. *Sexual harassment* can be words, looks, messages, or unwanted touching that may not be clearly violent. *Sexual assault* usually involves forced sexual contact or attack and is normally treated as a more serious crime.
Meaning
unwanted sexual behavior or attention
Collocations
sexual harassment
|harassment training
|harassment complaint
|report sexual harassment
|claim of sexual harassment
|allegations of sexual harassment
Synonyms
sexual misconduct (More formal and broad; can include various kinds of inappropriate sexual behavior, not only harassment.)
|
sexual intimidation (Highlights the element of fear and pressure within sexual harassment.)
Antonyms
consensual behavior (Stresses that both people freely agree, unlike harassment where behavior is unwanted.)
|
professional conduct (Describes proper, non-sexual behavior in workplaces, the opposite of sexual harassment at work.)
Themes
social_issues
|work
|law
|relationships
Definition
Unwanted sexual words, looks, or touching that make a person feel upset or unsafe, often many times or in a serious way.
Unwanted sexual comments, contact, or behavior, especially when repeated or coming from someone in a position of power.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
3
zaklatás
C1
Usage pattern:
a charge of harassment against [someone]
He was arrested and later charged with harassment after repeatedly calling his ex-partner at night.
Letartóztatták, majd zaklatással vádolták meg, miután ismételten éjszaka hívogatta volt partnerét.
The court found her guilty of harassment and issued a restraining order.
A bíróság zaklatásban bűnösnek találta, és távoltartó végzést hozott.
Several employees joined a class-action harassment lawsuit against the company.
Police warned that further messages could lead to a harassment charge.
The new bill expands the legal definition of harassment to cover online abuse.
Learner examples
He faces a harassment charge in court.
Zaklatás vádjával áll bíróság előtt.
The judge said there was enough evidence of harassment.
A bíró szerint elég bizonyíték volt a zaklatásra.
She started a harassment case against her former boss.
The lawyer specializes in harassment and discrimination cases.
He denies the harassment allegations.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that *harassment* can be countable in legal contexts (e.g., *two counts of harassment*, *a harassment charge*), even though in general use it is usually uncountable.
Meaning
legal offense of harassing someone
Collocations
charged with harassment
|harassment charge
|harassment lawsuit
|harassment claim
|conviction for harassment
|allegations of harassment
Synonyms
harassing offense (Near-synonymous in legal contexts, but less common as a set phrase; emphasizes the act as a punishable offense.)
|
criminal intimidation (Overlaps in some legal systems when harassment includes threats, but is not identical in all jurisdictions.)
Antonyms
acquittal (Refers to being found not guilty of a harassment charge in court.)
Themes
law
|crime
|work
Definition
In legal language, the official crime or wrong act of harassing someone, for which you can be charged or sued.
In law, the criminal or civil offense of engaging in a course of conduct that amounts to harassment of another person.
Grammar
Dictionary form
harassment
IPA
GB/hɚˈæsmənt/
US/hɚˈæsmənt/
Syllables & stress
har - ass - ment (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (har)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: harassment
- Plural: harassment, harassments
Word family
Forms
harassments
noun
Core family
harass
verb B2
harasser
noun
Advanced or less common
anti-harassment
adjective
Expressions
anti-harassment policy
1/ˈæntaɪ hɚˈæsmənt pˈɑlɪsi/
fixed phrase
formal
policy to prevent harassment
Official rules in a company or school that are meant to stop harassment from happening.
Examples
- All staff must complete training on the new anti-harassment policy.
- The union argued that the anti-harassment policy was not being enforced.
campaign of harassment
1/kæmpˈeɪn əv hɚˈæsmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
extended period of harassment
A long period when someone is repeatedly harassed in many ways.
Examples
- The report describes a deliberate campaign of harassment against journalists.
- She said her former partner had carried out a campaign of harassment for over a year.
harassment and intimidation
1/hɚˈæsmənt ˈænd ɪntˌɪmɪdˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
harassing and frightening behavior together
Behavior that both harasses people and tries to make them feel afraid.
Examples
- Protesters reported harassment and intimidation by security forces.
- The law protects workers from harassment and intimidation at work.
harassment campaign
1/hɚˈæsmənt kæmpˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
organized series of harassing acts
A planned or repeated set of actions used to harass a person or group over time.
Examples
- They accused the tabloid of running a harassment campaign against the singer.
- Victims described a months-long harassment campaign on social media.
harassment charge
1/hɚˈæsmənt t͡ʃˈɑɹd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
formal
criminal accusation of harassment
An official statement from the police or court saying someone is believed to have committed harassment.
Examples
- He faces a harassment charge after repeatedly contacting his ex-partner.
- Prosecutors dropped the harassment charge due to lack of evidence.
harassment claim
1/hɚˈæsmənt klˈeɪm/
fixed phrase
formal
statement alleging harassment
A formal statement that says someone has been harassed and often asks for money or other action.
Examples
- The company settled several harassment claims last year.
- Insurance may cover the cost of defending harassment claims.
harassment complaint
1/hɚˈæsmənt kəmplˈeɪnt/
fixed phrase
formal
formal report about harassment
A formal report saying that someone has been harassed.
Examples
- Human resources received several harassment complaints last year.
- She filed a harassment complaint against her supervisor.
harassment hotline
1/hɚˈæsmənt hˈɑtlˌaɪn/
fixed phrase
phone line to report harassment
A special phone number people can call to report harassment or get advice.
Examples
- The company set up an anonymous harassment hotline for staff.
- Posters around campus list the number for the harassment hotline.
harassment lawsuit
1/hɚˈæsmənt lˈɔsˌut/
fixed phrase
formal
lawsuit about harassment
A legal case in court where someone says they were harmed by harassment and asks for money or other help.
Examples
- The company settled the harassment lawsuit out of court.
- High-profile harassment lawsuits have pushed firms to change their policies.
harassment policy
1/hɚˈæsmənt pˈɑlɪsi/
fixed phrase
formal
official rules on harassment
An official document or set of rules that explains how an organization stops and handles harassment.
Examples
- All employees must read and follow the company's harassment policy.
- The school updated its harassment policy after the investigation.
harassment-free environment
1/hɚˈæsmənt fɹˈi ɪnvˈaɪɹənmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
place without harassment
A place, like an office or school, where people are protected from harassment.
Examples
- The company is committed to providing a harassment-free environment.
- Universities must ensure a safe, harassment-free environment for all students.
online harassment
1/ˈɔnlˌaɪn hɚˈæsmənt/
fixed phrase
harassment via the internet
Harassment that happens through the internet, for example by messages, comments, or posts.
Examples
- Online harassment has driven some public figures off social media.
- The platform introduced new tools to help users report online harassment.
racial harassment
1/ɹˈeɪʃəl hɚˈæsmənt/
fixed phrase
harassment based on race
Harassment that targets a person because of their race or ethnic background.
Examples
- The tenant filed a complaint about racial harassment by neighbors.
- The policy clearly bans racial harassment in any form.
sexual harassment
1/sˈɛkʃuəl hɚˈæsmənt/
fixed phrase
Unwanted sexual behavior at someone
When someone says or does sexual things to another person that they do not want.
Examples
- The company has zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
- The company has strict rules to prevent sexual harassment.
- She filed a complaint about sexual harassment in the workplace.
- Several students reported sexual harassment by a teacher.
workplace harassment
1/wˈɚkplˌeɪs hɚˈæsmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
bullying or abuse at work
Bad or unwanted actions toward someone at their job.
Examples
- The company has strict rules against workplace harassment.
- She reported workplace harassment to human resources.
workplace harassment
2/wˈɚkplˌeɪs hɚˈæsmənt/
fixed phrase
harassment in the workplace
Harassment that happens at a job or in an office or other place of work.
Examples
- The survey found that many employees had experienced workplace harassment.
- Their lawyer specializes in workplace harassment and discrimination cases.