bully 1 of 3

Definition of bullynext

bully

2 of 3

noun

bully

3 of 3

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word bully different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of bully are browbeat, bulldoze, cow, and intimidate. While all these words mean "to frighten into submission," bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior.

bullied into giving up their lunch money

When could browbeat be used to replace bully?

While the synonyms browbeat and bully are close in meaning, browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment.

browbeat the witness into a contradiction

In what contexts can bulldoze take the place of bully?

In some situations, the words bulldoze and bully are roughly equivalent. However, bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats.

bulldozed the city council into approving the plan

When might cow be a better fit than bully?

The synonyms cow and bully are sometimes interchangeable, but cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost.

not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business

When is it sensible to use intimidate instead of bully?

The words intimidate and bully can be used in similar contexts, but intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another.

intimidated by so many other bright freshmen

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 bully
Noun
The Knicks have become the Eastern Conference bullies. Kristian Winfield, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2026 The Knicks have become the Eastern Conference bullies. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 May 2026
Verb
Others are quick to be pushy, even bullying. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 28 May 2026 The company's board was told that Albert Manifold was verbally abusive and bullying toward employees, and had mishandled company information, according to the WSJ. Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bully
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bully
Adjective
  • Local joint Frederick’s is a prime spot to grab a drink and catch some live music.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 June 2026
  • Murphy noted that the upside call skew has moved sharply higher across Nvidia, Broadcom, Invesco QQQ Trust, VanEck Semiconductor ETF and the broader top-50 S & P component universe, with prime-book momentum exposure at record highs while large-cap tech positioning is near the 95th percentile.
    Justina Lee, CNBC, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • And both of them with the ability and desire to defend and scramble, and the hunger to attack at the first opportunity without letting a perfect ball be the enemy of the good.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 May 2026
  • Capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 while maneuvering in flight, these weapons are designed to compress enemy reaction times and evade many traditional missile defense systems.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 May 2026
Noun
  • The fact that this racist thug has been handed policing power by Netanyahu says more about the state of Israel’s democracy and political values—and in particular about the prime minister’s values—than many Israelis might like to admit.
    Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
  • White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.
    Jasmine Desiree, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • Crooks have learned how to abuse them, steal them and trick people into handing them over.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
  • What is perhaps most troubling is the actions of some to abuse their access to privileged and confidential information to mispresent facts, manipulate situations and selectively use and leak that information to promote personal agendas.
    Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Russia has used escalation rhetoric to intimidate Washington and Europe into self-deterrence since the war began.
    David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • If anyone attempts to intimidate, disrupt, harass, or threaten the marchers or their supporters Sunday — they will be arrested, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
    Elliot Cosgrove, New York Daily News, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • Monroe’s image-making Monroe always had greater agency over her still images than her moving images, which were largely determined by the film studios and directors.
    Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
  • In performance and direction, and in the small ways in which Caswell and Wills have plotted out this isolated love story, there’s a level of great richness and detail.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • All the while, Sarah is being hunted by corporate intimidators Dawson (Sam Worthington) and Rosetti (Willa Fitzgerald), who want to ensure her silence.
    EW.com, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Abraham Popoola As Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone Abraham Popoola portrays Lonnie Lincoln, better known by his villain moniker Tombstone.
    Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
  • Its villains include Alexander Hamilton, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and, above all, Robert Bork, who reinterpreted antitrust doctrine as focused on protecting consumers—a legal transformation that Lynn deems the turning point that set America onto a path toward oligarchy.
    Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bully. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

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