bullying 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of bullyingnext
as in browbeating

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

bullying

2 of 3

noun

as in coercion

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

bullying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of bully
1
as in abusing
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon the kindergarten teacher explained why it was wrong to bully classmates

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intimidating
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats the manager was fired for bullying employees

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 bullying
Adjective
An ice cream shop in Plainfield, Illinois, has launched an anti-bullying campaign after an incident with a customer. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 31 May 2026 In recent years, Lewinsky has reemerged in the public eye, becoming an anti-bullying advocate and public speaker. — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Noun
Safer, age-appropriate content controls, including stronger safeguards against bullying, content promoting eating disorders, and content related to suicide and self-harm. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 These include blocks on nighttime use, daily time limits and stronger content controls to guard against bullying and content that promotes eating disorders. — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
Boys are bullying girls in school, customers are harassing Target employees, and there’s now a report that a male doctor asked a woman to undress while wearing the glasses, which can discreetly take photos and videos. — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 21 Aug. 2026 Bullying and assault allegations In 2018, according to court documents, while still in elementary school, Austin Metcalf and his brother were accused of bullying and assaulting a female, which led to Austin Metcalf's arrest. — J.d. Miles, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bullying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bullying
  1. resolved
  2. coercion
  3. abusing
  4. intimidating
  5. ascetic
  6. intimidation
  7. frightening
  8. monastic
Adjective
  • This view helpfully shows key numbers (such as resolved requests, involvement rate, resolution rate) at the top, along with a funnel that visualizes visualizing how requests are resolved (with AI or humans).
    — Dianna Gunn, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026
  • There's a difference between a closed ticket and a resolved issue.
    — Amit Mathradas, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of resolved
Noun
  • This would leave Russia and China unable to retaliate and, as a result, vulnerable to coercion.
    — Jeffrey Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Iceland, which has a robust coast guard but no army or defense ministry of its own, finds itself in an interesting position in a world of great power coercion.
    — Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of coercion
Verb
  • A day after the website went live on July 22, Gupta says people called him from unknown numbers, verbally abusing him and threatening him with violence.
    — Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The backlash intensified after reports of immigration authorities accessing Flock data, officers abusing the network to stalk women, and misreads that led to innocent people held at gunpoint.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of abusing
Verb
  • Pearce is by turns low-key hilarious and intimidating as the unerringly sure-of-himself businessman, peppering his conversation with colorful Australianisms and profanity while never relaxing his laser focus.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Basij boosted its presence during the war, and hard-liners have held nightly rallies in Tehran and other cities, drumming up support and intimidating any possible dissenters.
    — Lee Keath, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of intimidating
Adjective
  • And there were posters tearing apart his otherworldly self-projection as a fakir, or ascetic, depicting him in his monogrammed suits, designer sunglasses, and aircraft.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Then, over the following years, came sustainability and strict reuse and ascetic renunciation, and today, finally, its photo series and articles advocated for a mild, slightly quirky anticapitalist metaphysics.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
Definition of ascetic
Noun
  • In some cases, even documentation of the state's excesses invites intimidation.
    — Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Woman pleads not guilty to jury intimidation In a nearby courtroom, the impetus for the dramatic jury questions appeared in the same courthouse as the jury began its fifth day of deliberations.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of intimidation
Verb
  • Powell tried to open the stall door, and then began fondling himself, frightening the 11-year-old, who tried to leave, but Powell blocked him from getting out.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 June 2026
  • This war has been a disaster for them, frightening away foreign investors, tourists and talent and burdening them with a future of huge new defense bills to deter Iran after the United States is gone.
    — Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • But the units are monastic, at least by the standards of Nashville upperclassmen, who usually live in singles or in apartments off campus.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2026
  • When the Dark Ages descended on the ancient world, Benedict of Nursia ignited a monastic revival that would establish thousands of monasteries and train generations of devoted readers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of monastic

Browse Nearby Words

bullyboys
bullying
bullyrag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bullying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bullying. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All