as in to dog
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
my doctor henpecked me into adopting a healthier lifestyle
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Recent Examples of henpeck
Laurent Naouri was gravelly but properly pathetic as Cendrillon’s henpecked father; Ying Fang and Maya Lahyani carried off the goofy stepsisters with aplomb.
—
Heidi Waleson, WSJ, 23 Apr. 2018
He eventually is seduced by the queen, takes her as his czarina and is literally henpecked.
—John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 8 Aug. 2017
Heidi Waleson, WSJ, 23 Apr. 2018
He eventually is seduced by the queen, takes her as his czarina and is literally henpecked.
—John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 8 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for henpeck
Verb
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The Tigers, for now, seem to have tamed the road blues that dogged them previously against Ole Miss, LSU and Alabama.—
Ally Schniepp,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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Since then, Cornyn’s TV blitz has defined Paxton as a diminished candidate dogged by ethics questions, a move that has tightened the contest in pre-primary polls.—
Joseph Morton,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Your keen insight catches what others miss — even a small domestic shift can turn nagging stress into quiet stability that feeds body and mind!—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Something else had been nagging at him, too.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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First there was Norwegian’s Sturla Holm Lægreid confessing to cheating on his girlfriend during a live interview after winning the bronze medal and tearfully begging her to come back (shockingly, humiliating his ex on national television didn’t work).—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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The current crop, by contrast, has been begging visitors to crawl back into the light.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Lake County Council passed a resolution Tuesday to urge the state legislature to pass a bill to disclose the specific fees hidden in utility bill delivery charges.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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As an example, Raskin pointed to the Justice Department’s failed attempt to indict six Democratic lawmakers who urged service members to not comply with unlawful orders in a video posted in November.—
Ana Ceballos,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Andrew Musgrave crossed the finish line in cross-country skiing today in a tank top, and the cold didn’t seem to bother him one bit.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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My damp clothes didn’t bother either one of us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Stewart noted that Diana's experience of being hounded by the media resonated with her as someone who has had a famously tumultuous relationship with the press and the public's scrutiny of celebrity lives.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Grammys have arrived and Music’s Biggest Night will finally answer questions that have been hounding music fans since the 2026 nominees were announced in November.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As Thea’s former suitor, Tesman struggles to call her by her married name, a slip of the tongue that Hedda constantly needles him about.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Smirk flies under the banner ‘Make Fun, Not War’ and delights to needle and tweak the NFL and the gravitas of its Big Game.—
Greg Cote
February 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Henpeck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/henpeck. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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