hound

noun

\ 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 Learn More about hound

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms & Antonyms for hound

Synonyms: Noun

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

Synonyms: Verb

bird-dog, chase, course, dog, follow, pursue, run, shadow, tag, tail, trace, track, trail

Antonyms: Verb

guide, lead, pilot

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Canines put to the test Breeds will be judged in seven categories: sporting, hounds, working, terriers, toys, non-sporting, and herding. — Emma Keith, Detroit Free Press, "2019 Detroit Kennel Club Dog Shows in Novi: Here's what you need to know," 19 June 2019 The newest member, recently rescued from one of our kids, is a 14-month-old, exuberant hound mix. — Marni Jameson, orlandosentinel.com, "Animal House — part 2: Basic training can make unruly dogs fit for home life," 6 June 2019 The newest member, recently rescued from one of our kids, is a 14-month-old, exuberant hound mix. — Marni Jameson, The Mercury News, "A home gone to the dogs," 4 June 2019 Who is this family in the Midwest who produces great fireworks, and which Virginia beagle breeders can boast the hounds with the finest pedigree? — Town & Country, ""Got the Snaps?"," 13 June 2015 Ramsey Bolton used his hounds to kill his mother and sister, then Sansa turned them back on him in the end. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "This Game of Thrones Theory Suggests How Tyrion Lannister Might Die," 3 May 2019 The upper-class Jaguar has the prestige of an 83-year British heritage, long a status symbol for the horse-and-hound set. — Hannah Elliott, latimes.com, "Jaguar roars into the new golden era for station wagons," 24 Mar. 2018 There were nine keen hound faces in the Cirneco dell’Etna ring, though the rabbit-hunting breed is the seventh-rarest in the U.S. and debuted at Westminster only in 2016. — Jennifer Peltz, The Seattle Times, "A breed apart: Rare Westminster dogs have ring to themselves," 13 Feb. 2019 For happiness here was pursued by the hounds of living hell; the American dream was so close to the nightmare. — Terry Teachout, WSJ, "How the Movies Invented Christmas," 20 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Suffragettes were rude right back, hounding him at his rallies and ringing bells to drown out his voice. — Peggy Noonan, WSJ, "Churchill’s Adversaries Weren’t His Enemies," 20 Dec. 2018 He was hounded, not praised, by the press and the police. — Andy Webster, New York Times, "Steve Ditko, Influential Comic-Book Artist Who Helped Create Spider-Man, Dies at 90," 7 July 2018 In Game 1, James had 15 points on 16 shots, as Boston employed switch after switch to hound him into seven turnovers. — Rohan Nadkarni, SI.com, "No Underdogs Here: Boston Is on the Brink of NBA Finals for a Reason," 15 May 2018 Outside the jazz club there was one protester, a woman who frequently hounded Cosby at his trial last year. — Michael Sisak, chicagotribune.com, "Bill Cosby performs at club in first show since 2015: 'I used to be a comedian'," 22 Jan. 2018 Injuries hounded him for most of his career, however, and a rare disorder that caused muscle fatigue ultimately forced him to retire after the 2010 season. — Dave Campbell, The Seattle Times, "Twins hire ex-Rays player, coach Rocco Baldelli as manager," 25 Oct. 2018 Curious reporters and angry vigilantes hounded his family, and a Facebook group dedicated to finding him was inundated with messages calling him a terrorist. — Jay Willis, GQ, "Racist Lawyer Aaron Schlossberg Did This All to Himself," 19 May 2018 Several had their phones confiscated for the remainder of the summer and continued to be hounded by police back home, according to a student who took part in the action. — Yanan Wang, The Seattle Times, "Missing elite Chinese university alumni spark outcry," 14 Nov. 2018 To try to raise productivity, retailers are turning mainly to technology rather that hounding employees to work harder. — Christopher Rugaber, The Seattle Times, "U.S. retailers hope higher pay will buy more efficient workers," 1 Jan. 2019

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.