bully

bully

verb

Definition of BULLY

1

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon <children who had been bullied by their father since infancy>

Synonyms brutalize, bully, ill-treat, ill-use, kick around, maltreat, manhandle, mess over [slang], mishandle, mistreat, misuse

Related Words molest, outrage, violate; harass, harm, hurt, injure, oppress, persecute, torment, torture; burn, sandbag, victimize, wrong; beat (up), mess (up), rough (up), work (over)

Near Antonyms care (for), cherish, foster, nurture; baby, cater (to), coddle, favor, gratify, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

2

to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats <the older boys constantly bullied him to the point where he was afraid to walk home alone>

Synonyms blackjack, bogart, browbeat, bulldoze, bully, bullyrag, cow, hector, mau-mau, strong-arm

Related Words bluster, trash-talk; affright, alarm (also alarum), frighten, horrify, scare, shock, spook, startle, terrify; menace, terrorize, threaten; badger, harass, hound; bludgeon, coerce, compel, constrain, dragoon, force, make, oblige, press, pressure, push around; demoralize, psych (out), unman, unnerve; discompose, disconcert, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, upset

Near Antonyms cheer, comfort, console, reassure, solace, soothe; embolden, encourage, hearten, steel; convince, persuade