hound

1 of 2

noun

ˈhau̇nd 

1

a

: 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

2 of 2

verb

hounded; hounding; hounds

transitive verb

1

: to pursue with or as if with hounds

2

: to drive or affect by persistent harassing

hounder noun

Synonyms

Noun

• dog
• doggie

Verb

• chase
• track
• pursue
• dog
• follow
• escort

Choose the Right Synonym for hound

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

He is said to own four pit bull terriers, a hound mix-breed, and a French bulldog. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 28 May 2025

When dead animals start showing up around town, a superstitious ferryman claims he’s seen the Mansfield girls shapeshift into feral hounds. —Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025

Verb

Brunson, who was hounded by a new primary defender in Andrew Nembhard, scored 19 points and finished 8-of-18 from the field. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 June 2025

Brunson pounded the air out of the ball at midcourt, hounded by the Pistons’ rising defender Ausar Thompson, whose superhuman combination of length, athleticism, and foot speed had bothered Brunson all series. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 22 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hund; akin to Old High German hunt dog, Latin canis, Greek kyōn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hound

• Afghan hound
• basset hound
• hound's-tongue
• hound's-tooth
• Ibizan hound
• lyam-hound
• lyme-hound
• rock hound
• scent hound
• sight hound
• smooth hound

Rhymes for hound

• bound
• browned
• crowned
• downed
• drowned
• found
• frowned
• gowned
• ground
• mound
• round
• sound

Kids Definition

hound

1 of 2 noun

ˈhau̇nd 

1

: dog entry 1 sense 1a

2

: a dog of any of various hunting breeds having large drooping ears and a deep voice and following their prey by scent or sight

hound

2 of 2 verb

: to pursue with or as if with hounds