as in cowed
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variants
or browbeat
as in intimidated
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
they would often browbeat the younger child until he cried
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of browbeaten
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Not to the extent that the user is necessarily being browbeaten.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The administration’s apparent plan to resolve this difficulty is to shame or browbeat members of the artistic community into performing there.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
Not to mention the relentless White House campaign to browbeat Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower rates while auditioning dovish successors.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2025
Some of them used that stage to browbeat Democratic politicians.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2025
But analysts have said Trump’s aggressive campaign to browbeat Powell into backing rate cuts could jeopardize the Fed’s autonomy and unnerve markets.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Audiences who endured the Miramax era have been browbeaten to believe that the best picture Oscar should go to a period piece that chokes out a sob from audiences.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Not to the extent that the user is necessarily being browbeaten.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
Davies more or less browbeat her into terminating the pregnancy, and dropped out of college.
—Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The administration’s apparent plan to resolve this difficulty is to shame or browbeat members of the artistic community into performing there.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
Not to mention the relentless White House campaign to browbeat Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower rates while auditioning dovish successors.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2025
Some of them used that stage to browbeat Democratic politicians.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2025
But analysts have said Trump’s aggressive campaign to browbeat Powell into backing rate cuts could jeopardize the Fed’s autonomy and unnerve markets.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for browbeaten
Verb
-
The nurses interviewed by AP said they felt intimidated by ICE's presence in the critical care unit and had even been told to avoid a certain bathroom to minimize encounters with officers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The nurses interviewed by AP said they felt intimidated by ICE’s presence in the critical care unit and had even been told to avoid a certain bathroom to minimize encounters with officers.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Any oppressed people find outlets in humor.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
14 Jan. 2026
-
In 2017, a Radio Free Asia reporter named Shohret Hoshur broke the story that the Chinese government was holding members of the fiercely oppressed Uyghur minority in concentration camps in Xinjiang.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
One student recounted the story of a citizen who was bullied because of her ethnicity and later died by suicide.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
They were bullied, pushed around, beat on the boards.—
Joseph Duarte,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Wonder if there's a former Alabama defensive coach looking to be a coordinator for a downtrodden NFC East franchise.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Before diving into season 2, why not reacquaint yourself with The Pitt's heroic (and downtrodden) team?—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Why was Caesar Augustus frightened of Ovid?—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Mariana, for example, wrote about children being frightened by school shootings.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Garnish with crushed red pepper.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Top with more crushed ice, and garnish with a mint sprig.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Of course, the unions and progressive politicians claim there is no reason to be scared by the roughly $30 billion in additional taxes this would require.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Oc Register,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The two women saw broke, scared Diann alone in the lobby of a motel and invited her to stay with them.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As their love story unfolded on a national stage, the intense fame and media attention that came along with it threatened to rip them apart.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Trump earlier had threatened military action if Iran carried out mass executions of prisoners or killed peaceful demonstrators during a crackdown on protests that began in late December.—
Konstantin Toropin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Browbeaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/browbeaten. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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