as in browbeating
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as in coercion
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in abusing
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
the kindergarten teacher explained why it was wrong to bully classmates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intimidating
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
the manager was fired for bullying employees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bullying
Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Today, Lewinsky is an anti-bullying activist, a TV producer, and the host of the podcast Reclaimed—whose title, for her, holds multiple significant meanings.
—Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2025
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Our idols were allowed to either be good girls—militantly wholesome and seemingly virginal—or train wrecks, unmoored and wild, and thus subjected to a litany of bullying and ridicule for their actions.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2026
R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Wilkerson treated him like a traffic cone, blowing by and bullying him for baskets.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bullying
Adjective
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
Today, Lewinsky is an anti-bullying activist, a TV producer, and the host of the podcast Reclaimed—whose title, for her, holds multiple significant meanings.
—Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2025
Noun
Martin originally posted her bullying denial as a comment on Instagram.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Our idols were allowed to either be good girls—militantly wholesome and seemingly virginal—or train wrecks, unmoored and wild, and thus subjected to a litany of bullying and ridicule for their actions.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
Is her brother’s bullying over their mother’s care enough cause to cut contact with him?
—R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Wilkerson treated him like a traffic cone, blowing by and bullying him for baskets.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bullying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bullying
Noun
-
The complaint notes that since 2023, five former executive officers have been indicted on federal charges including embezzlement, conspiracy, coercion, insurance fraud and related crimes.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The threat of such arbitrary tariffs have been a primary tool of economic and diplomatic coercion, used to extract trade agreements in which countries, including allies such as Britain and Japan, accept higher tariffs on their goods.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Once installed, NexShield immediately starts abusing Chrome or Edge in the background.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Wearing the device was a requirement of his supervised release after being charged the previous week with abusing Velasquez’s child at the longtime daycare that Patty Bender operated out of her San Martin home.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sunderland 1-1 Fulham Everton vs Manchester United An evening kick-off at Goodison Park, under the floodlights, could be intimidating for visiting teams — and sometimes for the home team.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Their permanent, tooth-baring grin may appear intimidating, but sand tigers sharks are considered among the safest sharks to encounter in the water.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
What frustrated her most was that the issue refused to stay resolved.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
30 Dec. 2025
-
This breakthrough achievement, called super-resolved fluorescence microscopy, exploited the properties of evanescent waves and made single-molecule microscopy possible.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
13 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The regime attempted to silence him through relentless intimidation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
-
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped rape, criminal confinement and intimidation charges.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Clumsiness notwithstanding, bringing a criminal case against a journalist who was reporting on a protest is an authoritarian tactic—a means of frightening the press away from uncovering the truth.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Later in life Foucault will become more ascetic, but not yet.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
During pilgrimages, monks observe a strict ascetic code, often including sleeping under trees and eating one meal per day.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The employee, a mother of two teen girls, warned about the filters and said the pressure on teen girls is intense.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Coach Rick Hirtensteiner said Young dealt with the pressure by just trying to have fun, and Sheffer, playing with his younger brother, Ryan, a starting shortstop, appeared to do just that Wednesday.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bullying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bullying. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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