bullying

1 of 2

noun

bul·​ly·​ing ˈbu̇-lē-iŋ 

ˈbə-

: abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger, more powerful, etc. : the actions and behavior of a bully

Her own childhood had been made miserable by bullying …

—Michael Holroyd

… underestimates the plain meanness behind the pleasure people take in bullying.

—George F. Will

bullying

2 of 2

adjective

: prone to or characterized by overbearing mistreatment and domination of others

… dominated the program but did so in a bullying manner that made him appear crabbier and more churlish than ever.

—Tom Shales

At his worst, he was just another loud, boorish, bullying … drunk …

—Bartholomew Gill

The bullying husband is … living out a way of being that he learned at home as a child.

—Robert Karen

Examples of bullying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

If your health is suffering from burnout or workplace bullying, then quitting for your own self-preservation could be the smartest move. —Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025

And if Trump’s bullying stems from weakness, what about Newsom’s? Dan Walters is a CalMatters columnist. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 20 May 2025

Adjective

For instance, kids scored lower on standardized tests in schools with a lot of bullying than kids in schools with effective anti-bullying programs. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 31 July 2024

The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has reached out about providing funding for mental health and anti-bullying programs, and the board has also received offers from external agencies to help with their threat assessment protocol, DeShazo said. —al, 4 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1742, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1746, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bullying

• cyberbullying

Legal Definition

bullying

noun

bul·​ly·​ing

ˈbu̇-lē-iŋ, bə-

: acts or written or spoken words intended to intimidate or harass a person or to cause physical harm to a person or his or her property see also cyberbullying

Note: The statutory language used to describe what constitutes bullying differs from state to state.