bully 1 of 3

bully

2 of 3

noun

bully

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bully different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of bully are browbeat, bulldoze, cow, and intimidate. While all these words mean "to frighten into submission," bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior.

bullied into giving up their lunch money

When could browbeat be used to replace bully?

While the synonyms browbeat and bully are close in meaning, browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment.

browbeat the witness into a contradiction

In what contexts can bulldoze take the place of bully?

In some situations, the words bulldoze and bully are roughly equivalent. However, bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats.

bulldozed the city council into approving the plan

When might cow be a better fit than bully?

The synonyms cow and bully are sometimes interchangeable, but cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost.

not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business

When is it sensible to use intimidate instead of bully?

The words intimidate and bully can be used in similar contexts, but intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another.

intimidated by so many other bright freshmen

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bully
Noun
All of whom flock to Monsignor Wicks, drawn by his sophistry and fearsome bully-pulpit magnetism. Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025 Anthony Bourdain is presented as a self-hating bully. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
Newsmax argues that Fox has wielded a similar playbook to keep it from growing, bullying distributors from carrying its channels by conditioning carriage deals on them agreeing not to carry competing right-leaning news channels. Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025 Butler and Malkovich turn bullying into hambone art, and Isaac magnetizes our sympathy as the daredevil but still relatively civilized Nick, who’s caught in the middle of all this. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bully
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bully
Adjective
  • Delaying this meal was linked with greater risk of death in a sizable 20-year study.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 4 Sep. 2025
  • It’s been three weeks since a historic flood put the greater Milwaukee area under water.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • All the while, Sarah is being hunted by corporate intimidators Dawson (Sam Worthington) and Rosetti (Willa Fitzgerald), who want to ensure her silence.
    EW.com, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As night falls, armed thugs roam the streets and families pick up guns to protect themselves.
    Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Digging and cutting back garden thugs is often necessary to preserve what grows on your side of the fence.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Commission said Google’s market power has been abused since 2014.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Moore previously served as the defense attorney for Louise and David Turpin, the California couple who abused and imprisoned their 13 children and dependent adults in a 'house of horrors' for years.
    Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Rintaro, a quiet and intimidating baker, and Kaoruko, an open-minded girl with a kind heart.
    EW.com, EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Keep in mind that even though walking the riverbed to the Narrows is legal, this hasn't stopped local landowners from trying to intimidate hikers.
    Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Audi's done a terrific job applying a restrained retro-futuristic approach to the interiors.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The Detroit Lions went 15-2 last season, finishing with the best record in the NFC behind an explosive offense and some terrific coaching.
    Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Under orders from General Erinmore (Colin Firth), the pair must traverse enemy lines to deliver a life-or-death message to Colonel Mackenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch), halting an attack that would endanger more than 1,000 men.
    Emy LaCroix, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The enemy terrorizes and kills our people across the country every day.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Vineland’s repressive villain Brock Vond ends ferried to hell by two Eastside vatos locos, while the hippie father Zoyd reunites with his daughter at an anarchist family picnic.
    John Lopez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
  • There are villains in every episode and the story uses them to showcase some societal issues.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bully. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bully

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