bullying

1 of 2

noun

bul·​ly·​ing ˈbu̇-lē-iŋ 

ˈbə-

: abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger, more powerful, etc. : the actions and behavior of a bully

Her own childhood had been made miserable by bullying …

—Michael Holroyd

… underestimates the plain meanness behind the pleasure people take in bullying.

—George F. Will

bullying

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adjective

: prone to or characterized by overbearing mistreatment and domination of others

… dominated the program but did so in a bullying manner that made him appear crabbier and more churlish than ever.

—Tom Shales

At his worst, he was just another loud, boorish, bullying … drunk …

—Bartholomew Gill

The bullying husband is … living out a way of being that he learned at home as a child.

—Robert Karen

Examples of bullying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Americans need rebalancing — without resurrecting government bullying or Hollywood propagandizing. —Gil Troy, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026

The song was released in partnership with advocacy group GLAAD to celebrate Spirit Day, an annual initiative that harnesses influential voices to stand against the bullying of LGBTQ+ youth and families. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026

Adjective

Her other priorities listed on her website include teacher satisfaction, college/career readiness, fiscal responsibility, early childhood education, equity, anti-bullying, mental health support and AI literacy. —Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026

What if an anti-bullying campaign unintentionally caused a spike in littering? —Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1742, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1746, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bullying

• cyberbullying

Legal Definition

bullying

noun

bul·​ly·​ing

ˈbu̇-lē-iŋ, bə-

: acts or written or spoken words intended to intimidate or harass a person or to cause physical harm to a person or his or her property see also cyberbullying

Note: The statutory language used to describe what constitutes bullying differs from state to state.