Hassles — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈha-səl/ has·sle

Meaning & Definition of Hassles

Hassles (noun)

  1. a heated often protracted argument, wrangle
  2. a violent skirmish, fight
  3. a state of confusion, turmoil

Hassles (verb)

  1. argue, fight
  2. to annoy persistently or acutely, harass

Hassles (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a brief clash between enemies or rivals

    "the best way to avoid hassles with those aggressive panhandlers is to ignore them"

    similar: brushes, encounters, run-ins, scrapes, skirmishes
    related: arguments, fights, quarrels, rows, spats, squabbles, tiffs, battles, brawls, frays, wrangles

  2. a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

    "the moment the police arrived, the hassle broke up, and no one was seriously injured"

    similar: battles, clashes, combats, conflicts, contests, dustups, fights, fracases, frays, scraps, scrimmages, scrums, scuffles, skirmishes, struggles, tussles
    related: pitched battles, rough-and-tumbles, affrays (chiefly British), battles royal, brawls, broils, donnybrooks, free-for-alls, melees, mix-ups, ruckuses, ructions, blows, fistfights, fisticuffs, grapples, handgrips, punch-outs, punch-ups (chiefly British), slugfests, confrontations, duels, face-offs, jousts, altercations, argle-bargles (chiefly British), arguments, argy-bargies (chiefly British), contretemps, controversies, cross fires, disagreements, disputes, fallings-out, kickups, misunderstandings, quarrels, rows, spats, squabbles, tangles, tiffs, wrangles, catfights
    near: truces

  3. an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions

    "had a huge hassle with an airline representative before she got her ticket refunded"

    similar: altercations, argle-bargles (chiefly British), arguments, argy-bargies (chiefly British), battles royal, bickers, brawls, contretemps, controversies, cross fires, disagreements, disputes, donnybrooks, fallings-out, fights, imbroglios, kickups, misunderstandings, quarrels, rhubarbs, rows, scraps, set-tos, spats, squabbles, tiffs, wrangles
    related: clashes, run-ins, skirmishes, tangles, tussles, logomachies, feuds, vendettas, attacks, contentions, dissensions, debates, differences, disputations, fusses, objections, protestations, protests, affrays (chiefly British), fisticuffs, fracases, frays, free-for-alls, melees, catfights

  4. something that is a source of irritation

    "it's a hassle to find a parking space downtown"

    similar: aggravations, aggros (British), annoyances, botherations, bothers, bugbears, exasperations, frustrations, hair shirts, headaches, inconveniences, irks, irritants, nuisances, peeves, pests, rubs, ruffles, thorns, trials, vexations
    related: discomforts, fleabites, pinpricks, affronts, insults, offenses, upsets, worries, afflictions, albatross, burdens, crosses, curses, menaces, millstones, plagues, sores, anxieties, plights, predicaments, tribulations, troubles, hang-ups, pet peeves, problems, annoyers, disturbers, harassers, mischiefs, offenders, pandora's boxes
    near: delights, joys, pleasures

Hassles (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults

    "a small group of jeering protesters hassled the politically active singer at every appearance she made"

    similar: baits, hazes, heckles, needles, rides, taunts, teases, makes game of, picks on
    related: derides, gibes, jeers, mocks, ridicules, annoys, bothers, bugs, burns (up), chafes, frets, frosts, galls, gets, gnaws (at), grates, gripes, hacks (off), hagrides, irks, irritates, itches, nags, narks (British), nettles, peeves, pesters, piques, puts out, rasps, riles, ruffles, spites, troubles, vexes, aggravates, exasperates, goads, tests, tries, aggrieves, agitates, bedevils, beleaguers, discomforts, disturbs, perturbs, badgers, dogs, hounds, browbeats, bullies, hectors, harasses, harries, persecutes, plagues, terrorizes, torments, tortures

  2. to express different opinions about something often angrily

    "constantly hassled with the chef over the need to cook pork thoroughly"

    similar: altercates, argues, argufies, bickers, brabbles, brawls, controverts, disputes, falls out, fights, jars, quarrels, quibbles, rows, scraps, spats, squabbles, tiffs, wrangles, bandies words, butts heads, locks horns, mixes it up
    related: challenges, dares, defies, clashes, contends, contests, tangles, cavils, fusses, nitpicks, considers, debates, discusses, kicks, objects, protests
    near: coexists, gets along, accepts, agrees, assents, concurs, consents

Related Entry: Hassle (noun)

Hassle is a different word from Hassles. The synonyms below are for hassle, not for hassles.

  1. a brief clash between enemies or rivals

    "the best way to avoid hassles with those aggressive panhandlers is to ignore them"

    similar: brush, encounter, run-in, scrape, skirmish
    related: argument, fight, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tiff, battle, brawl, fray, wrangle

  2. a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups

    "the moment the police arrived, the hassle broke up, and no one was seriously injured"

    similar: battle, clash, combat, conflict, contest, dustup, fight, fracas, fray, scrap, scrimmage, scrum, scuffle, skirmish, struggle, tussle
    related: pitched battle, rough-and-tumble, affray (chiefly British), battle royal, brawl, broil, donnybrook, free-for-all, melee, mix-up, ruckus, ruction, blows, fistfight, fisticuffs, grapple, handgrips, punch-out, punch-up (chiefly British), slugfest, confrontation, duel, face-off, joust, altercation, argle-bargle (chiefly British), argument, argy-bargy (chiefly British), contretemps, controversy, cross fire, disagreement, dispute, falling-out, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, row, spat, squabble, tangle, tiff, wrangle, catfight
    near: truce

  3. an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions

    "had a huge hassle with an airline representative before she got her ticket refunded"

    similar: altercation, argle-bargle (chiefly British), argument, argy-bargy (chiefly British), battle royal, bicker, brawl, contretemps, controversy, cross fire, disagreement, dispute, donnybrook, falling-out, fight, imbroglio, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, rhubarb, row, scrap, set-to, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle
    related: clash, run-in, skirmish, tangle, tussle, logomachy, feud, vendetta, attack, contention, dissension, debate, difference, disputation, fuss, objection, protest, protestation, affray (chiefly British), fisticuffs, fracas, fray, free-for-all, melee, catfight

  4. something that is a source of irritation

    "it's a hassle to find a parking space downtown"

    similar: aggravation, aggro (British), annoyance, bother, botheration, bugbear, exasperation, frustration, hair shirt, headache, inconvenience, irk, irritant, nuisance, peeve, pest, rub, ruffle, thorn, trial, vexation
    related: discomfort, fleabite, pinprick, affront, insult, offense, upset, worry, affliction, albatross, burden, cross, curse, menace, millstone, plague, sore, anxiety, plight, predicament, tribulation, trouble, hang-up, pet peeve, problem, annoyer, disturber, harasser, mischief, offender, pandora's box
    near: delight, joy, pleasure

Related Entry: Hassle (verb)

Hassle is a different word from Hassles. The synonyms below are for hassle, not for hassles.

  1. to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults

    "a small group of jeering protesters hassled the politically active singer at every appearance she made"

    similar: bait, haze, heckle, needle, ride, taunt, tease, make game of, pick on
    related: deride, gibe, jeer, mock, ridicule, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, fret, frost, gall, get, gnaw (at), grate, gripe, hack (off), hagride, irk, irritate, itch, nag, nark (British), nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, trouble, vex, aggravate, exasperate, goad, test, try, aggrieve, agitate, bedevil, beleaguer, discomfort, disturb, perturb, badger, dog, hound, browbeat, bully, hector, harass, harry, persecute, plague, terrorize, torment, torture

  2. to express different opinions about something often angrily

    "constantly hassled with the chef over the need to cook pork thoroughly"

    similar: altercate, argue, argufy, bicker, brabble, brawl, controvert, dispute, fall out, fight, jar, quarrel, quibble, row, scrap, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle, bandy words, butt heads, lock horns, mix it up
    related: challenge, dare, defy, clash, contend, contest, tangle, cavil, fuss, nitpick, consider, debate, discuss, kick, object, protest
    near: coexist, get along, accept, agree, assent, concur, consent

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Hassles

The most common words with a similar meaning to Hassles:

Chiefly British: argle-bargles, argy-bargies
British: aggros
brushes, encounters, run-ins, scrapes, skirmishes, battles, clashes, combats, conflicts, contests, dustups, fights, fracases, frays, scraps, scrimmages, scrums, scuffles, struggles, tussles, altercations, arguments, battles royal, bickers, brawls, contretemps, controversies, cross fires, disagreements, disputes, donnybrooks, fallings-out, imbroglios, kickups, misunderstandings, quarrels, rhubarbs, rows, set-tos, spats

Related Words for Hassles

pitched battles, rough-and-tumbles, affrays, broils, free-for-alls, melees, mix-ups, ruckuses, ructions, blows, fistfights, fisticuffs, grapples, handgrips, punch-outs, punch-ups, slugfests, confrontations, duels, face-offs, jousts, tangles, catfights, logomachies, feuds, vendettas, attacks, contentions, dissensions, debates

Near Antonyms of Hassles

truces, delights, joys, pleasures, coexists, gets along, accepts, agrees, assents, concurs, consents

Word Forms of Hassles

Inflections: hassled, hassling

Origin & Etymology of Hassles

perhaps blend of harass and hustle

First known use: 1945

Frequently Asked Questions about Hassles

What does "Hassles" mean?

"Hassles" means a heated often protracted argument, wrangle. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a heated often protracted argument, wrangle. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Hassles"?

Other words for "Hassles" include brushes, encounters, run-ins, scrapes, skirmishes, battles, clashes and combats. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Hassles" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Hassles"?

There are 217 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Hassles". Common alternatives include brushes, encounters, run-ins, scrapes, skirmishes, battles, clashes, combats, conflicts and contests.

How do you use "Hassles" in a sentence?

Examples of "Hassles" in a sentence: "the best way to avoid hassles with those aggressive panhandlers is to ignore them"; "the moment the police arrived, the hassle broke up, and no one was seriously injured"; "had a huge hassle with an airline representative before she got her ticket refunded".

Is "Hassles" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Hassles" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Hassles"?

"Hassles" is pronounced /ˈha-səl/ and divided into syllables as has·sle.

What is the origin of the word "Hassles"?

"Hassles" comes from perhaps blend of harass and hustle. First known use: 1945.

What is another word for "Hassles" meaning "a brief clash between enemies or rivals"?

When "Hassles" (noun) means a brief clash between enemies or rivals, synonyms include brushes, encounters, run-ins, scrapes and skirmishes.