as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
the villagers were gaunt and sickly, harrowed by years of disease and starvation
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Recent Examples of harrow
Before the big race, the track was harrowed, bringing it to a better and drier racing surface.
—
John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
The research fellow who met me, Birte, was in her forties, and appeared as if she had been harrowed by her work.
—John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Plus, Shin Ha-young is given little to do in the second half of the series despite her effortless shift from warm third wheel to harrowed and weary abuse victim.
—Geoffrey Bunting, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2023
Track maintenance will then harrow the track to release the compactness and return it to its regular consistency for racing.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2021
That same humble deity, in the course of putting on humanity, had obtained a glimpse of the conditions on earth—poverty, needless estrangement, a stubborn pattern of rich ruling over poor—and decided to incite a revolution that would harrow Hell.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2020
John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
The research fellow who met me, Birte, was in her forties, and appeared as if she had been harrowed by her work.
—John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Plus, Shin Ha-young is given little to do in the second half of the series despite her effortless shift from warm third wheel to harrowed and weary abuse victim.
—Geoffrey Bunting, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2023
Track maintenance will then harrow the track to release the compactness and return it to its regular consistency for racing.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2021
That same humble deity, in the course of putting on humanity, had obtained a glimpse of the conditions on earth—poverty, needless estrangement, a stubborn pattern of rich ruling over poor—and decided to incite a revolution that would harrow Hell.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harrow
Verb
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With water crises increasingly plaguing other areas of the country, Central Arkansas is positioning itself as a destination for sustainable economic growth.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
11 July 2025
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But, with its ridiculous time-turning conclusion, the 1978 classic revealed a problem that's been plaguing the last son of Krypton ever since: Superman movies never end well.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily, and most severely, afflicts children.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
9 July 2025
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But the results are admirably smooth, low in acidity, and free of the tannic bitterness that afflicts most quick cold brews.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
29 June 2025
Verb
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There may be no animal that has been more revered and reviled, romanticized and persecuted, adopted and murdered than the coyote.—
Helen Whybrow
July 7,
Literary Hub,
7 July 2025
-
Asylum seekers must prove their government is persecuting them or that they're being persecuted by someone who the government is unable or unwilling to stop.—
Victoria Moorwood,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Jon Burge extracted a false confession from Wilson by beating him and torturing him with electrical shocks, according to Wilson’s lawsuit.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
10 July 2025
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Some were arrested, some allegedly tortured, others beaten up, even killed, according to Azeri media.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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This is the meat of the film, tormenting Jeanne with all the possibilities (a friendly policeman tracks Suzanne to Belgium, where the trail goes cold).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
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Jeon, another accomplished actress, known for her roles in Harbin, Glitch and Vincenzo, also creates a relatable character, one tormented by her own visions of evil.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harrow. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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