BROWBEATEN Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

browbeaten 1 of 2

adjective

as in cowed

Related Words

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browbeaten

2 of 2

verb

variants or browbeat

past participle of browbeat

as in intimidated

to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats they would often browbeat the younger child until he cried

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 browbeaten

Adjective

At times during the inquiry hearings, the nurses were almost browbeaten into accepting the inquiry’s premise. — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026 Audiences who endured the Miramax era have been browbeaten to believe that the best picture Oscar should go to a period piece that chokes out a sob from audiences. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026 Not to the extent that the user is necessarily being browbeaten. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Verb

The son and a guardian claims that Mary Max had depleted his finances and browbeat him. — Beth J. Harpaz The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026 The son and a guardian alleged that Mary Max had depleted his finances and browbeat him. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 Pheu Thai, conservatives believed, could always be co-opted or browbeaten into a politics of benefit sharing in which wealth and power were divided between a Pheu Thai figurehead and conservative power brokers. — Duncan McCargo, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2026 Dodgers management didn’t browbeat Treinen and Call, and that’s fine — ballplayers should be entitled to share their personal thoughts, however noxious. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 No need to legally browbeat AI makers or require AI developers to implement specialized AI safety features. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 England looked cowed and browbeaten by the second half of the semifinal, which allowed Lionel Messi to do what only Lionel Messi can do. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 July 2026 But that bar was browbeaten by critics into pausing and then canceling the project. — Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026 Davies more or less browbeat her into terminating the pregnancy, and dropped out of college. — Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for browbeaten

Adjective

Then Mattie’s new husband, veterinarian Cole Walker, discovers cowed teenage workers at a puppy mill.

— Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of cowed

Verb

Glass admitted that as a young producer, he was intimidated by Adams and his quiet confidence.

— Scott Detrow, NPR, 18 Oct. 2026
Amid reports of a surge in federal immigration raids, Los Angeles leaders and immigration advocates said Friday that the efforts appear aimed at discouraging turnout in the midterm elections, and urged voters not to be intimidated.

— Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of intimidated

Adjective

Roosevelt’s patrician upbringing, as well as ties to her husband’s career, led to certain frictions between the two, with Murray consistently urging the First Lady to act on behalf of Black Americans and other oppressed peoples.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
All of us artists could stand to be more like Mark, willing to speak out for oppressed people everywhere, even when powerful people try to bully us into silence.

— Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of oppressed

Adjective

Sandler stars as a downtrodden deli worker who steps up to protect his fellow Salem residents from a Halloween-night kidnapping spree.

— Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2026
Living a dozen miles from their closest neighbor (who has a grudge with Lester), even further from the closest town (a downtrodden shell of its former self), and further still from any sort of hope — or temptation.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of downtrodden

Verb

Douglas admitted that his father’s behavior left him and brother Joel frightened.

— Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
At the very start of the pandemic, while most Americans were hunkered down, frightened for their lives and worried about job loss, RealPage hosted a virtual pep talk for landlords.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of frightened

Adjective

Each red tin is packed with layers of white and dark chocolate perfumed with peppermint oil and topped with crushed peppermint candies.

— Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, Burgess’ young niece Zoey (Aimee Laurence) suffers a crushed liver in the explosion and desperately needs a transplant.

— Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of crushed

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“Browbeaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/browbeaten. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of browbeaten

adjective

verb

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