hound

1 of 2

noun

ˈhau̇nd 

1

a

: dog

b

: a dog of any of numerous hunting breeds including both scent hounds (such as the bloodhound and beagle) and sight hounds (such as the greyhound and Afghan hound)

2

: a mean or despicable person

3

: dogfish

4

: a person who pursues like a hound

especially : one who avidly seeks or collects something

autograph hounds

hound

2 of 2

verb

hounded; hounding; hounds

transitive verb

1

: to pursue with or as if with hounds

2

: to drive or affect by persistent harassing

hounder noun

Synonyms

Noun

• canine
• dog
• doggy
• doggie
• pooch
• tyke
• tike

Verb

• bird-dog
• chase
• course
• dog
• follow
• pursue
• run
• shadow
• tag
• tail
• trace
• track
• trail

Choose the Right Synonym for hound

bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down.

bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

Examples of hound in a Sentence

Noun

in the yard an old hound greeted us with a single bark

a camera hound even before the baby arrived, he's now become obsessive

Verb

He is being hounded by the press.

They hounded me with questions.

They hounded me for my autograph.

hound a politician out of office

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Or, maybe Gutekunst shocks everyone, bucks the historical trend in Green Bay and trades for a marquee name like Crosby, Garrett or someone else to hound quarterbacks. —Matt Schneidman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025

In anticipation of the coming fight, hunters gathered at the December ADF Commission meeting to speak on behalf of hunting with hounds, according to an AZCentral article. —Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025

Verb

Instead, she was hounded out of the classroom by authorities hostile to Western literature. —Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2025

But the cultural repercussions will be felt for generations to come, even (and especially) in the swiping apps hounded by modern singles. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hund; akin to Old High German hunt dog, Latin canis, Greek kyōn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hound

• Afghan hound
• basset hound
• hound's-tongue
• hound's-tooth
• Ibizan hound
• lyam-hound
• lyme-hound
• rock hound
• scent hound
• sight hound
• smooth hound

Kids Definition

hound

1 of 2 noun

ˈhau̇nd 

1

: dog entry 1 sense 1a

2

: a dog of any of various hunting breeds having large drooping ears and a deep voice and following their prey by scent or sight

hound

2 of 2 verb

: to pursue with or as if with hounds