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Definition of houndnext
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hound

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hound distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hound are badger, bait, chivy, heckle, and hector. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

When could badger be used to replace hound?

The words badger and hound can be used in similar contexts, but badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

Where would bait be a reasonable alternative to hound?

While the synonyms bait and hound are close in meaning, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

When is it sensible to use chivy instead of hound?

Although the words chivy and hound have much in common, chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

In what contexts can heckle take the place of hound?

The words heckle and hound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

When can hector be used instead of hound?

While in some cases nearly identical to hound, hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hound
Noun
Joie de vivre Happy-go-lucky hounds have an abundance of joie de vivre, a French phrase that refers to a cheerful and exuberant enjoyment of life. Aditya Simha, The Conversation, 7 May 2026 There’s blood in the water, with perimeter hounds like Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, Alex Caruso and Lu Dort attacking Reaves while big men Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein clog the paint. Sam Amick, New York Times, 6 May 2026
Verb
His mom hounded him to practice at least an hour a day and the lessons only lasted six months. Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 24 May 2026 Nobody wants to be hounded — that part is true. Nathan Green, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hound
Noun
  • The dog paces to and fro, hackles bristling, snapping at the empty air, its head turning one way, then the other, as if aware of invisible foes in the valley around them.
    Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
  • Stop here for suggestions on the best nearby dog-friendly parks for your pup, to pick up breakfast vouchers, and to grab a list of participating local businesses that offer discounts to Hotel Lucia guests.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • The apartment has original hardwood floors, which set the stage for thoughtful modern and vintage furniture; a fiddle leaf fig tree as well as other touches of real plant life on the interior and exterior add to the garden district location to make this stay a plant lover’s haven.
    Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 30 May 2026
  • Outdoor exercise lovers will want to snap up this $14 skort to stay cool while playing pickleball or going for a walk.
    Madeline Merinuk, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • The iconic villain, portrayed by Robert Mitchum in 1962’s Cape Fear and by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s 1991 version, is back on screen in the new Apple TV adaptation.
    Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026
  • Dead-end conflict is where the hero and the villain, the good guys and the bad guys, essentially never have any opportunity for movement or reconciliation at the end of the story.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Another solo blast tied it at three apiece in the seventh when Hokies infielder Ethan Gibson covered the deepest part of the park and chased Bruins’ starter Michael Barnett after six-plus innings.
    Josh Gross, Daily News, 31 May 2026
  • For now, Hughes is chasing another championship.
    Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
Verb
  • Schloesser, who has worked at Amazon for nearly six years, urged Seattle officials to require data center developers to commit to using renewable energy to power facilities and no longer use non-disclosure agreements or shell companies when announcing new projects.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 4 June 2026
  • On Wednesday, Rollins urged pet owners to keep a close watch for signs of discomfort, open wounds or larvae or eggs near body openings.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Details such as the relatively few suckers on its arms, its smooth skin, beak features and the coloring around its organs and parts of the mantle indicated a new species, now called Microeledone galapagensis.
    Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 24 May 2026
  • Trimming the suckers, from the first 2 feet above the ground, ensures the plant's energy is focused on the main vines and cucumbers, says Scott.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • Historically speaking, the Allied Supreme Commander wasn’t considered an angry brute so much as a steady diplomat who was capable of sudden, persuasive rage.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 May 2026
  • Even the consumer-level codes that encrypt your online banking are so hard to break that every computer on the planet working together would need longer than the age of the universe to brute-force them apart.
    David M. Ewalt, Scientific American, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • His profession is to be the screaming jerk on reality shows, and his house burns down.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 28 May 2026
  • These measurements enabled scientists to identify sudden changes linked to the Pacific reversal and a geomagnetic disturbance known as the 2017 geomagnetic jerk.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hound. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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