as in bully
a person who teases, threatens, or hurts smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable persons
residents reported on some bullyboys who were causing problems at the park
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bullyboy
Beijing’s bullyboy tactics were starting to hit uncomfortably close to home.
—
Mark L. Clifford, WSJ, 27 Jan. 2022
Barletta was a friend and former student of George Shultz, then U.S. secretary of state, and suddenly critics of Noriega’s bullyboy rule found a more attentive audience within the Reagan administration.
—Glenn Garvin, miamiherald, 30 May 2017
The election campaign was, in retrospect, the ultimate Trump display of bullyboy arrogance.
—Michael D'antonio, CNN, 18 May 2017
Chaffetz’s shtick — bullyboy investigator targeting the right’s bogeymen — worked when Hillary Clinton and/or President Obama were his targets.
—Jennifer Rubin, The Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2017
Mark L. Clifford, WSJ, 27 Jan. 2022
Barletta was a friend and former student of George Shultz, then U.S. secretary of state, and suddenly critics of Noriega’s bullyboy rule found a more attentive audience within the Reagan administration.
—Glenn Garvin, miamiherald, 30 May 2017
The election campaign was, in retrospect, the ultimate Trump display of bullyboy arrogance.
—Michael D'antonio, CNN, 18 May 2017
Chaffetz’s shtick — bullyboy investigator targeting the right’s bogeymen — worked when Hillary Clinton and/or President Obama were his targets.
—Jennifer Rubin, The Denver Post, 20 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bullyboy
Noun
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Rimmer clarified that the word bully was used only in jest.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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At one point, Kendra urged the high school's principal, Dan Boyer, to set a trap for the bully after the texter claimed that Lauryn's personal belongings were being stolen.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These vessels can blend into the ocean’s background noise and deploy advanced drones designed to confuse and distract enemy tracking systems.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
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At first, drones were used to scout and drop makeshift bombs onto enemy troops’ heads.—
Joseph Nepomuceno,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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We’re then introduced to Louie, a thug who works for a loan shark, threatening and killing people.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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Their neighbor, an older Jewish woman, gets arrested and Nazi thugs brazenly loot her apartment.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In some states, an order can’t be enforced until the abuser is served.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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That can heighten the danger to the victim if the abuser discovers the signal, as well as to anyone who might try to intervene.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bullyboy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bullyboy. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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