What is the Latin word for harass?

The usual Latin words for “harass” are fatīgō, dēfatīgō, vexō; also lacessō, hostis, ēnecō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“harass” in Latin

fatīgōto fatigue, tire or weary; to vex or torment dēfatīgōto tire out or exhaust; to lose heart or be discouraged vexōto shake or jolt violently; to harass, annoy; to vex, trouble (strong term, involving violence)lacessōto excite, provoke, challenge, exasperate, harass or irritate; to attack or assail hostisan enemy of the state, an enemy, a hostile, opponent, foe; the enemy ēnecōto kill, slay; to exhaust, wear out laborwork; labor, toil, exertion; hardship, trouble, fatigue, suffering, drudgery, distress

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

harass

fatigare: defatigare (to weary): vexare (to tease): lacessere (to provoke by attacks; often as military term, hostes, etc.). To harass anybody by importunity, aliquem rogitando obtundere or enecare; aliquem precibus fatigare; by one’s complaints, aliquem querelis angere: to harass one’s self by anything, se frangere aliqua re (e.g., laboribus).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for harass?: The usual Latin words for “harass” are fatīgō, dēfatīgō, vexō; also lacessō, hostis, ēnecō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.