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
Michael Holroyd… underestimates the plain meanness behind the pleasure people take in bullying.—George F. Will
George F. Will
: 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
Tom ShalesAt his worst, he was just another loud, boorish, bullying … drunk …—Bartholomew Gill
Bartholomew GillThe bullying husband is … living out a way of being that he learned at home as a child.—Robert Karen
Robert KarenExamples of bullying in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 28 Apr. 2025
In 2020, Webb was sued in a federal lawsuit as one of three defendants accused in a bullying incident in 2018 at Oxford (Ala.) High School.
—Rj Kraft, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for bullying
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Noun
Then there’s Prince William’s recent decision to hire the aide who accused Meghan Markle of bullying, a decision that was reportedly deliberate to make his brother mad.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 28 Apr. 2025
In 2020, Webb was sued in a federal lawsuit as one of three defendants accused in a bullying incident in 2018 at Oxford (Ala.) High School.
—Rj Kraft, New York Times, 27 Apr. 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
See All Example Sentences for bullying
Cite this Entry
“Bullying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bullying. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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