HENPECKING Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

henpecking

verb

present participle of henpeck

as in nagging

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 Synonyms for henpecking

Verb

But as Ohtani battled nagging pain in his left knee and a recurring problem with his right biceps, the team didn’t shut down his attempts to return to pitching until the end of August.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Managers change jobs in parallel, trading CRM nagging for exception handling.

— Devang Agrawal, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of nagging

Verb

Wings Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams started the Lakers’ preseason opener and the defensive-minded players flashed their potential by hounding opponents the full length of the court.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Though some accusations seem to hold water, the headline is his hounding in context.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of hounding

Verb

Video on social media showed distressed shopkeepers begging young men to stop stealing their inventory—and those young men pushing them aside to grab shoes and food from their shelves.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
So your group chat has been begging you to host the next big viewing night, and your bank account is giving you side-eye.

— Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of begging

Verb

Despite relatively robust job growth and low inflation over Lula’s third term, the cost of living has been a central campaign issue dogging the president.

— Andre Pagliarini, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
Investors have been ratcheting up their expectations for the industry as some companies hike their outlooks and get a better handle on rising medical costs in those plans – an issue that has been dogging the broader sector for more than two years.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 29 July 2026

Definition of dogging

Verb

Organizers sought to distance themselves from potential unrest, urging participants to keep their faces uncovered and hands visible.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
With these factors in mind, public health authorities are urging the public to take measures now to protect themselves and others.

— Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of urging

Verb

For weeks, Sony Pictures has been needling Mark Zuckerberg with an ad campaign promising that the Meta CEO will love The Social Reckoning.

— Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Like families since time immemorial, the Hollingsworths are prone to needling each other about their love lives or grousing about their parents.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of needling

Verb

His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year.

— Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of bothering

Verb

Buckley plays Matt, a Chicago firefighter and Darlene’s grandson, who has been badgering the paper to write about Darlene attending her 500th Bears game.

— Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Reddington had to talk around this impasse, badgering Clancy’s providers about matters such as their use of telemedicine, as though this wasn’t standard practice.

— Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of badgering

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.

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henpecked

henpecking

henpecks

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“Henpecking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/henpecking. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of henpecking

verb

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