Inklingo

acosado

ah-ko-SAH-dohakoˈsaðo

acosado means harassed in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

harassedAlso: bullied, hounded, cornered

A small bird looking overwhelmed while many larger birds flutter closely around it in a crowded space.

📝 In Action

El actor se siente acosado por los fotógrafos.

B1

The actor feels hounded by the photographers.

Se vio acosado por las deudas después de perder su empleo.

B2

He found himself burdened by debts after losing his job.

El animal acosado no tenía dónde esconderse.

B1

The cornered animal had nowhere to hide.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • hostigado (harassed)
  • perseguido (pursued/persecuted)
  • acorralado (cornered)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • sentirse acosadoto feel harassed
  • acosado por la prensahounded by the press
  • acosado por dudasplagued by doubts

harassedAlso: bullied

VerbB1regular ar
A tired fox being pursued by a group of hounds across a grassy field.
gerundacosando
past Participleacosado
infinitiveacosar

📝 In Action

Ellos han acosado a mi hermano en la escuela.

B1

They have bullied my brother at school.

Fue acosado injustamente por sus colegas.

B2

He was unfairly harassed by his colleagues.

La policía ha acosado al sospechoso hasta que confesó.

B2

The police pestered the suspect until he confessed.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • ayudar (to help)
  • dejar en paz (to leave alone)

Common Collocations

  • haber acosadoto have harassed
  • ser acosadoto be harassed

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoacosara
acosaras
él/ella/ustedacosara
nosotrosacosáramos
vosotrosacosarais
ellos/ellas/ustedesacosaran

Present Subjunctive

yoacose
acoses
él/ella/ustedacose
nosotrosacosemos
vosotrosacoséis
ellos/ellas/ustedesacosen

Indicative

Preterite

yoacosé
acosaste
él/ella/ustedacosó
nosotrosacosamos
vosotrosacosasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesacosaron

Imperfect

yoacosaba
acosabas
él/ella/ustedacosaba
nosotrosacosábamos
vosotrosacosabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesacosaban

Present

yoacoso
acosas
él/ella/ustedacosa
nosotrosacosamos
vosotrosacosáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesacosan

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "acosado" in Spanish:

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: acosado

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence correctly describes a woman feeling harassed?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

Derived from 'acoso', which comes from the word 'coso' (an enclosure or bullring). It originally described the act of chasing an animal into a trapped space during a hunt.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: acuado

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'acosado' always mean sexual harassment?

No. While it can refer to sexual harassment (acoso sexual), it broadly means to be hounded, bullied, or pestered in any context, such as by the police, by debts, or at school.

Can I use 'acosado' for an animal?

Yes! In fact, its origin is related to hunting. It describes an animal that has been chased into a corner and cannot escape.

Is 'acosado' a strong word?

Yes, it is quite strong. It suggests a lack of peace and a feeling of being trapped or victimized. Use it for serious situations.