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henpeck

verb

ˈhen-ˌpek How to pronounce henpeck (audio)
Definition of henpecknext
as in to dog
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders my doctor henpecked me into adopting a healthier lifestyle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of henpeck Laurent Naouri was gravelly but properly pathetic as Cendrillon’s henpecked father; Ying Fang and Maya Lahyani carried off the goofy stepsisters with aplomb. — Heidi Waleson, WSJ, 23 Apr. 2018 He eventually is seduced by the queen, takes her as his czarina and is literally henpecked. — John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 8 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for henpeck
  1. dog
  2. nag
  3. beg
  4. urge
  5. bother
  6. hound
  7. needle
Verb
  • Getting back to flying … The rollout of the company’s new Vulcan rocket has been dogged by problems with the vehicle’s solid rocket boosters.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Court records and interviews paint a picture of Rios as a woman who had long been dogged by drug addiction.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • Starting left guard Aaron Banks missed another game due to injury, this time a knee issue that has nagged him all summer.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Down a third of its crew (and periodically appearing as a trio), the quartet-for-now seeks modern girl-group chart history while nagged by uncertainty and controversy that extends to their music.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of nag
Verb
  • Her husband hurriedly shut the door and begged her to see a doctor for a tranquilizer prescription.
    — Elvira Navarro, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • There is a genuinely good vehicle underneath all of this EX30 design just begging to come out.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of beg
Verb
  • Consumers are urged to immediately take the magnetic humanoid toys away from children, stop using them, and contact Colerinsec for a full refund.
    — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Anyone in possession of information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crime Unit at 732-929-2027 or the Toms River Township Police Department at 732-349-0150.
    — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of urge
Verb
  • Tanner Faaborg said he was also bothered by the reshaping of rural Iowa by industrial animal agriculture.
    — Rachel Cramer, NPR, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Before turning it into a judgment about your abilities, notice what specifically bothered you.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • Miami doesn’t have Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb, two proven, established pass rushers, to hound the opposition’s quarterback.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Hill expresses, in earnest, the fears of being seen in public spaces, such as a grocery store, hounded by personal questions—an all-too relatable scenario, regardless of one’s background.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of hound
Verb
  • And the South Korean firm didn’t wait long to needle its biggest rival.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Freedom thought Cloud went low, needling him with accusations of trying to win Cunningham’s affection.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of needle

Browse Nearby Words

hen party
henpeck
henpecked
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Cite this Entry

“Henpeck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/henpeck. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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