hound

noun

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\ ˈhau̇nd

Definition of hound

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : dog

b : a dog of any of numerous hunting breeds including both scent hounds (such as the bloodhound and beagle) and sight hounds (such as the greyhound and Afghan hound)

2 : a mean or despicable person

3 : dogfish

4 : a person who pursues like a hound especially : one who avidly seeks or collects something autograph hounds

hound

verb

hounded; hounding; hounds

Definition of hound (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to pursue with or as if with hounds

2 : to drive or affect by persistent harassing

Other Words from hound Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Phrases Containing hound Learn More About hound

Synonyms & Antonyms for hound

Synonyms: Noun

canine,
dog,
doggy
(or doggie),
pooch,
tyke
(also tike)

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Verb

Choose the Right Synonym for hound

Verb

bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down. bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim. baited the chained dog badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy. badgered her father for a car heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker. drunks heckled the stand-up comic hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering. football players hectored by their coach chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging. chivied the new student mercilessly hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing. hounded by creditors

Examples of hound in a Sentence

Noun in the yard an old hound greeted us with a single bark a camera hound even before the baby arrived, he's now become obsessive Verb He is being hounded by the press. They hounded me with questions. They hounded me for my autograph. hound a politician out of office See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The Boomer 8 Dog Bowl, $50, is dent-resistant and can be used to water and feed your hound. — Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2022 The Bonn-Oberkassel dog is not the only ancient hound to have received such honors. — Virginia Morell, Scientific American, 1 July 2015 Graysou is the grey-hound of the eleven, and his tackling is of the highest order. — al, 22 Nov. 2021 Ben had been brought into the series in a previous season of the show to provide a counterpoint to The Farmer, its leading human character, who lives at Mossy Bottom Farm with his faithful hound Bitzer, and the less faithful flock of sheep. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 24 Dec. 2021 Animal: Blue, 10-month-old, 44-pound female hound mix. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Jan. 2022 During my time in town, a local shoots a polar bear for allegedly trying to kill his hound. — Travel, 29 Dec. 2021 Mikey's looking at me now with his basset-hound eyes. — Ew Staff, EW.com, 22 Nov. 2021 Others include Newt and Otter, Rhino and Hippo, Moose, Panda, Koala and one mixed hound named Platypus. — Robert Higgs, cleveland, 11 Dec. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb But questions will still hound several quarterbacks throughout the weekend. — Usa Today Sports, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2022 LeVert gives them hope -- and credibility -- in a first-round series, where opponents were poised to hound Garland and force the ball out of his hands. — Chris Fedor, cleveland, 7 Feb. 2022 Caruso and Ball hound ballhandlers outside the arc to complicate their passes into the post and force difficult switches in pick-and-rolls. — Julia Poe, chicagotribune.com, 3 Jan. 2022 Lethargic starts continue to hound Maryland, which led just once in the final 9:21 of the first half. — Edward Lee, baltimoresun.com, 30 Dec. 2021 Supporters praise him, conspiracy theorists hound him, bricks get thrown this his window and everyone knows his name. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Dec. 2021 Fiennes’s politician — who, again, is a local assemblyman not even elected to the Senate — cannot shake off the paparazzi, who hound him with the sort of fervor usually reserved for young British royals. — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 7 Dec. 2021 The Beltway press corps continues to hound Sen. Joe Manchin for every-other-minute updates on his thinking about the Democrats’ proposed $1.75 trillion spending bill. — Kimberley A. Strassel, WSJ, 18 Nov. 2021 These reporters hound the internet, academic institutions, investors, blue chip companies and alums to put forth the most promising under 30s. — Alexandra Sternlicht, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hound.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.