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

Managers change jobs in parallel, trading CRM nagging for exception handling.

— Devang Agrawal, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Turns out, Shakespeare didn’t have to decide, because the story works equally well whether the reader believes the figure is ectoplasm in the castle courtyard or is a psychological manifestation of Hamlet’s nagging conscience.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 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

Mahajan’s family has appeared at City Hall, in person and through videoconference calls from India, begging the city to finally end the rides.

— Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Mahajan's family has appeared at City Hall, in person and through videoconference calls from India, begging the city to finally end the rides.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 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

Later in the festival, around 20 filmmakers, among them directors Chung Ji-young and Lee Myung-se, held a press conference in Busan urging politicians to stop using the film as a political weapon and to leave its judgment to audiences.

— Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Hundreds of mourners later gathered at Rehman Baba cemetery for mass funeral prayers as grief gripped the neighborhood and announcements echoed from mosque loudspeakers, urging residents to join in prayers for those killed.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 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

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
O'Hara said years later, children were still badgering her about her forgetfulness.

— Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Aug. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

henpecked

henpecking

henpecks

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

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Synonyms of henpecking

verb

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