as in intimidating
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in browbeating
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Recent Examples of hectoring
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
Sure, there's the hectoring of Federal Reserve officials, Chairman Jerome Powell and Governor Lisa Cook, and the attempt by the president to make the central bank another appendage of the White House.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
This is subtle character work that, as described on the page, might seem hectoring or prescriptive.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectoring
Verb
-
The Jays’ bullpen allowed only two runs in five innings in Game 1, but is hardly intimidating.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
While potentially an intimidating shoe to some consumers, Hosk demonstrated how the statement boots can be styled.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
He was wrapped up in a high-profile bullying scandal during the 2013 season.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Wembanyama added weight and has been bullying defenders in the paint during the preseason while shooting fewer treys.—
Stan Son,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This might take a series of browbeating prompts, but that’s not a big deal.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The play was blown up, coming nowhere close to first down yardage, and the onslaught began.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Oct. 2025
-
For years local and federal investigators were stumped by who had sent the letters and were unable to prevent the onslaught of threats for more than a decade.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
With increasing space traffic from various nations and private companies, keeping tabs on potential collisions and threats becomes crucial.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
His two Mann Act convictions had carried the threat of a combined maximum of 20 years in prison.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
LaVine and Monk whipped the crowd into a frenzy, combining to make 17 of 32 from the field and 10 of 18 from 3-point range as the Kings bounced back from a season-opening loss to the Phoenix Suns.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Despite the latest meme stock frenzy, Beyond Meat has nonetheless still fallen 23% so far in 2025 after tumbling 58% in 2024.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Chadema chair Tundu Lissu faces treason charges for advocating an election boycott and calling for a public revolt.—
Danish Manzoor Bhat,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The public revolt was immediate.—
Michael Wells,
Kansas City Star,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Each storm sparked a wave of scientific inquiry, until, in the early twentieth century, scientists finally understood why electrifying societies had grown precariously vulnerable to environmental upheavals on the Sun.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
-
With such upheaval in the front line, some teething problems are understandable.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hectoring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectoring. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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