near harassment

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "near harassment" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe behavior that is close to or bordering on harassment, often in contexts discussing inappropriate conduct. Example: "The employee's constant unsolicited messages to their colleague were deemed to be near harassment, prompting a review of workplace conduct policies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I read story after story of visitors coming to the Banks, only to be greeted with near harassment by the local law enforcement.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Scott declined to address Dear's specific criticisms other than to say that her near-harassment contention was "not accurate" and that their face-to-face meeting regarded the treatment of athletes as detailed in the faculty-staff handbook.

The New York Times - Sports

The magazine said it had spoken with 18 women who described an atmosphere of near-persistent harassment - ranging from inappropriate remarks to unwanted touching and sexual assault.

BBC

The Huffington Post has also documented the near-daily harassment and bigotry Muslims face across the country. .

Huffington Post

The Huffington Post has documented the near-daily harassment and bigotry Muslims across the country have recently faced.

Huffington Post

While the sensation of what initially feels like near-constant harassment isn't exactly pleasant, it's no different, when you think about it, to the average chugger assault course that most of us embark on when we venture down any high street in the UK from Aberdeen to Wycombe.

Vice

On Grindr, one of the world's most widely used gay dating apps, trans users report near-daily harassment; Trans Men on Grindr, a Tumblr that chronicles the bald-faced discrimination trans users face there (and on other gay dating apps like Scruff), makes brutally clear that even on supposedly progressive queer dating platforms, trans users are subject to bigotry and intolerance.

Vice

For the last six months, The Huffington Post has also documented the near-daily acts of harassment, violence and discrimination faced by Muslims in the U.S. .

Huffington Post

For the last six months, The Huffington Post has also documented the near-daily acts of harassment, violence and discrimination faced by Muslims in the U.S.

HuffPost

M claimed that guards frequently sleep on shift, and other residents paint a picture of a near-constant stream of harassment.

Vice

While the battle was a minor engagement, the defense provided some additional time for Greene's main army of regulars to cross the Yadkin River without harassment near Salisbury, which allowed that force to regroup and resupply.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "near harassment" to describe situations where behavior is inappropriate and resembles harassment but doesn't fully meet the legal or generally accepted definition. This can be useful for highlighting potentially problematic behavior before it escalates.

Common error

Avoid using "near harassment" when the behavior clearly constitutes actual harassment. This dilutes the impact of genuine harassment claims. If the actions meet the definition of harassment, label them as such.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "near harassment" functions as a descriptor, modifying a noun (e.g., behavior, situation) to indicate that it is close to, but not quite, harassment. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. It is used to qualify actions that are inappropriate but might not meet the legal threshold of harassment.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

10%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Science

2%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "near harassment" is a useful descriptor for behavior that resembles harassment but doesn't fully meet its formal or legal definition. Ludwig AI confirms it as a usable phrase in written English. It's commonly used in News & Media to highlight potentially problematic situations that require attention. Alternatives like "borderline harassment" or "almost harassment" can also be used depending on the specific context. It's essential to use the phrase accurately, avoiding both overstating the severity of the situation and mislabeling actual harassment. The phrase can raise awareness about actions that could escalate into actual harassment if left unchecked, and to describe events which skirt the boundaries of harassment without fully crossing them.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

borderline harassment

Indicates behavior very close to being actual harassment.

almost harassment

Directly suggests the behavior nearly qualifies as harassment.

approaching harassment

Highlights the progression towards becoming harassment.

verging on harassment

Implies the behavior is on the verge of being considered harassment.

akin to harassment

Suggests a resemblance to harassment, though not fully meeting the criteria.

resembling harassment

Focuses on the similarities between the behavior and actual harassment.

close to harassment

Simple and direct way of indicating proximity to harassment.

on the edge of harassment

Suggests a precarious position where the behavior could easily become harassment.

tantamount to harassment

Claims the behavior is essentially equivalent to harassment.

paralleling harassment

Draws a parallel to harassment, indicating similar characteristics.

FAQs

How can I use "near harassment" in a sentence?

You can use "near harassment" to describe conduct that is close to being harassment but does not fully meet the criteria. For example, "The employee's actions were considered "near harassment", prompting a formal warning".

What are some alternatives to "near harassment"?

Some alternatives to "near harassment" include "borderline harassment", "almost harassment", or "approaching harassment".

Is "near harassment" a legally defined term?

No, "near harassment" is not typically a legally defined term. It is a descriptive phrase used to indicate behavior that is close to, but not necessarily meeting the legal definition of, harassment.

What is the difference between "near harassment" and harassment?

"Near harassment" implies that the behavior is similar to harassment but does not fully meet the criteria, whereas harassment indicates that the behavior fully satisfies the definition of harassment.