bordering on harassment

USAGE SUMMARY

"bordering on harassment" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to describe behavior that is intrusive, persistent, or aggressive, but may not quite meet the legal definition of harassment. This phrase implies that the person's behavior is approaching the line of being considered harassment, but may not have crossed it yet. Example sentence: The salesman's constant calls and messages were bordering on harassment, making me feel uncomfortable and pressured to purchase the product.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

"We would have found out that his discipline was bordering on harassment".

The New York Times

However, some students sensed an uncomfortable atmosphere when their conversations unraveled into flirtation bordering on harassment, which might suggest otherwise.

Princeton University

Still, the suspicion that mainstream aid work is a cover for intelligence work on the part of Pakistani officials and spies has led to intense scrutiny, bordering on harassment, of Western aid workers.

The New York Times

She did not press charges at the time, and her lawyer says she will not do so, for now.What has emerged is a portrait of a political culture in which seduction bordering on harassment is rife.

The Economist

Ian Healy was his model and at times Boucher's charmless chirping and sledging were disproportionately tasteless and repetitive, bordering on harassment of the batsman and based on the premise that mental interference led to mental disintegration.

The Guardian - Sport

An Apple employee, who was responding to the developers complaints, wrote that the developer's continued emails about the late payments was "bordering on harassment," and claimed that the finance team receives thousands of emails a day and couldn't get to his right away.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The company said Ryan LLC's behavior "bordered on harassment".

The New York Times

In February 2009, she said she received so much pressure to change her grading policy for basketball players that it bordered on harassment.

The New York Times - Sports

At least one teacher has said she received so much pressure to change her grading policy for basketball players that it bordered on harassment.

The New York Times - Sports

McCAIN: Why would Arthur Young say these things about the exam -- that it was inordinately long and bordered on harassment?

Huffington Post

Following the film's Cannes premiere, a French film technicians' union criticised him for his working methods, which it claimed were disorganised, unreasonable and bordering on "moral harassment".

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bordering on harassment" when you want to express concern about behavior that is intrusive, persistent, or aggressive, but doesn't fully meet the legal definition of harassment.

Common error

Avoid using "bordering on harassment" if the behavior clearly constitutes actual harassment. Using weaker language might undermine the seriousness of the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bordering on harassment" functions as a descriptive phrase, typically used as an adjective to qualify a noun or pronoun. It indicates that something is approaching the threshold of being considered harassment, suggesting a level of severity or inappropriateness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Academia

29%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

14%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "bordering on harassment" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that describes behavior approaching, but not necessarily meeting, the definition of harassment. Ludwig confirms its accuracy for written English. It's most frequently found in news and media, academic writing and wiki contexts, carrying a neutral tone that underscores concern about potentially escalating situations. Related phrases include "verging on harassment" and "approaching harassment". When using this phrase, be mindful of potentially overstating the severity of the situation. When describing unwelcome behaviour, be as specific and targeted as possible.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

verging on harassment

Emphasizes the act of coming close to the line of harassment.

on the verge of harassment

Indicates a position right before crossing into harassment.

approaching harassment

Highlights the gradual progression towards harassment.

close to being harassment

A more literal and descriptive way of expressing the same idea.

nearing harassment

Similar to approaching, but with a sense of immediacy.

akin to harassment

Draws a comparison to harassment, suggesting similar qualities.

almost harassment

Directly states the behavior is nearly harassment.

tantamount to harassment

Suggests the behavior is almost equivalent to harassment.

resembling harassment

Focuses on the similarities between the behavior and actual harassment.

walking the line of harassment

Figurative language highlighting the risk of crossing into harassment.

FAQs

How to use "bordering on harassment" in a sentence?

You can use "bordering on harassment" to describe actions that are becoming intrusive or aggressive but may not legally qualify as harassment. For example, "His constant unwanted attention was "bordering on harassment"".

What's the difference between "bordering on harassment" and actual harassment?

"Bordering on harassment" suggests the behavior is approaching the level of harassment but hasn't fully crossed the line, while harassment refers to actions that legally meet the definition of unwanted and offensive behavior.

What can I say instead of "bordering on harassment"?

You can use alternatives like "verging on harassment", "approaching harassment", or "akin to harassment" depending on the context.

Is "bordering on harassment" a legal term?

"Bordering on harassment" is not a strict legal term, but it's used to describe behavior that may be approaching the legal definition of harassment. It's important to understand the specific legal definitions of harassment in your jurisdiction.