- Today's Word
Harried
HAIR-eed
Definition
(adjective) Feeling strained as a result of persistent demands or stress.
Example
The harried assistant juggled calls, emails, and last-minute meetings.
Fun Fact
Harried stems from the same root as harass—both come from old Norse and Middle English words related to raiding or attacking. Originally used in military contexts, harried now refers to a psychological onslaught: the kind of pressure that comes from emails piling up, kids yelling, and zero time for yourself. It’s the perfect word for a Monday at 4:59 p.m.
(adjective) Asserting opinions or beliefs in an arrogant, rigid, and often unyielding way.
His dogmatic approach left no room for compromise or alternative ideas.
Mid 17th century: from late Latin dogmaticus, from Greek dogmatikos, from dogma ‘opinion, tenet’.