as in teasing
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
He's always badgering me about the dishes.
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Recent Examples of badgering
The future five-time Super Bowl MVP was with his family, sitting five rows from the top of the stadium, badgering his parents to buy him an oversized foam finger.
—
Daniel Brown, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Trump has been badgering Powell about interest rate cuts that would bring down mortgage rates and ease housing affordability, but that runs the risk of fueling an even higher inflation wave down the road, or sooner.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Not only in badgering a quarterback making his first start or in holding Tennessee without a touchdown.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Jason Bateman shines in the scene with the Diamond District connect, fast-talking and badgering this guy within an inch of his life until Mancuso and Babbitt show up to take him out.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Impatient investors have been badgering the company for several years to cash in some of its more valuable assets.
—Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Poor people know the intimate, badgering pangs of hunger, but in Ireland, the memory of the 1845-1848 Famine—the Great Hunger, when one million died from starvation and disease, and another million emigrated—still aches.
—Philip Metres
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Trump has been badgering Powell and other Fed officials to cut rates for months, but Powell has said the independent agency isn’t influenced by politics and will do what’s best for the economy.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Daniel Brown, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Trump has been badgering Powell about interest rate cuts that would bring down mortgage rates and ease housing affordability, but that runs the risk of fueling an even higher inflation wave down the road, or sooner.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
Not only in badgering a quarterback making his first start or in holding Tennessee without a touchdown.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2026
Jason Bateman shines in the scene with the Diamond District connect, fast-talking and badgering this guy within an inch of his life until Mancuso and Babbitt show up to take him out.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Impatient investors have been badgering the company for several years to cash in some of its more valuable assets.
—Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Poor people know the intimate, badgering pangs of hunger, but in Ireland, the memory of the 1845-1848 Famine—the Great Hunger, when one million died from starvation and disease, and another million emigrated—still aches.
—Philip Metres
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Trump has been badgering Powell and other Fed officials to cut rates for months, but Powell has said the independent agency isn’t influenced by politics and will do what’s best for the economy.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badgering
Verb
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Alongside the tape, the UK artist has also begun teasing a new album, Terrified.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
25 Jan. 2026
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Hana can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her, even teasing her.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The strengths that those same opponents will spend long hours trying to account for — Nix’s pestering speed, a relentless pass-rush that produced a franchise-record 68 sacks, including four of Lance — aren’t changing either.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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No kid brother tagging along, pestering him with questions, pushing up on his social circle.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Badgering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badgering. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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