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

Following allegations of bullying and retaliatory action against staff, Oakley had initiated an independent third-party investigation into the accusations. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025

Sumo has faced a series of scandals, including allegations of bullying, assault and sexism at stables where the wrestlers train. —Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025

Adjective

Snoop Dogg has partnered with GLAAD to support Spirit Day, the LGBTQ+ youth anti-bullying initiative. —Michaela Zee, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025

The Village of Pewaukee recently enacted a new anti-bullying ordinance, but no citations have been issued yet. —Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025

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.