badger 1 of 2

verb

Definition of badgernext
as in to tease
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders He's always badgering me about the dishes.

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badger

2 of 2

noun

as in rabbit
the pelt or fur of a badger The boutique features a variety of scarfs, including badger, fox, and ermine.

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word badger distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of badger are bait, chivy, heckle, hector, and hound. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

When could bait be used to replace badger?

The words bait and badger are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

When might chivy be a better fit than badger?

The words chivy and badger can be used in similar contexts, but chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

When is it sensible to use heckle instead of badger?

The synonyms heckle and badger are sometimes interchangeable, but heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

In what contexts can hector take the place of badger?

Although the words hector and badger have much in common, hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

When would hound be a good substitute for badger?

The meanings of hound and badger largely overlap; however, hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

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 badger
Verb
O'Hara said years later, children were still badgering her about her forgetfulness. — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Stewart isn’t the only Twilight star still being badgered about the vampire franchise. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
These animals included badgers, bats, crows, foxes, hedgehogs, otters and owls, among many others. — Elan Abrell, The Conversation, 22 July 2026 Both minks and otters are mustelids, a family of carnivores that also includes badgers, weasels, and wolverines. — Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for badger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badger
  1. tease
  2. rabbit
  3. hound
  4. fox
  5. raccoon
  6. marten
  7. otter
  8. beaver
Verb
  • When appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, the Canadian pop singer teased the single.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Mahomes began teasing the collection last week with several posts on her Instagram.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of tease
Noun
  • If general manager John Chayka can pull another rabbit out of a hat by acquiring a top-four defenceman and shift some of the burden off Raddysh, McCabe and Rielly, perhaps this group can take a bigger step forward.
    — James Mirtle, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • There are seagull puppets, a tandem bicycle, an oil stain in the shape of a rabbit, a meteorite.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of rabbit
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
  • Miami doesn’t have Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb, two proven, established pass rushers, to hound the opposition’s quarterback.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of hound
Noun
  • The park has a wide variety of birds, Harding said, as well as coyotes, foxes and aquatic animals such as frogs and turtles.
    — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Its sophisticated but never stuffy—for proof, take a peek at artist Becca Barnet’s playful diorama of taxidermy foxes and butterflies in the concierge’s nook.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fox
Noun
  • Jimothy The viral raccoon on everybody's mind this year is also about to become one of the best costumes of the season!
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • One early Saturday morning in June of 2025, a pair of very small raccoon cubs, about six weeks old, were strolling around the yard, exploring their world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of raccoon
Noun
  • The ranch also may be home to threatened or endangered species, including Canada lynx, American marten, snowshoe hare and Gunnison’s prairie dog.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 28 June 2026
  • Otters are part of the weasel family (Mustelidae), which includes some of nature’s most ferocious pint-sized predators, such as badgers, martens, and wolverines.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of marten
Noun
  • An otter bobs in the inlet, an eagle glides across the sky, and a black bear ambles amidst old-growth forest on the distant shores.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Still, even in California, who worries about being savaged by an otter?
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of otter
Noun
  • The preferred method of managing beaver is not to hunt or trap them.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Beside a fallen tree, McCormack points out how a beaver chewed more deeply into one side of the trunk, bringing it down into the water.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of beaver

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Badger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badger. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about badger

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