Minor problems, difficulties, or annoyances that cause inconvenience or irritation. Often refers to bureaucratic obstacles or everyday frustrations that waste time or energy.
American slang from the 1940s, possibly from dialectal 'hassel' meaning to breathe heavily or pant. Alternative theories suggest connection to 'tussle' or German 'hasten' (to hurry), reflecting the frantic energy of dealing with annoying problems.
The word 'hassle' perfectly captures that uniquely modern form of low-grade frustration—not quite anger, not quite sadness, but that grinding annoyance of dealing with incompetent customer service or broken technology. It emerged in American English just as bureaucracy and consumer culture were creating new categories of everyday irritation.
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