hound 1 of 2

1
2
3
4

hound

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hound distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hound are badger, bait, chivy, heckle, and hector. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

When could badger be used to replace hound?

The words badger and hound can be used in similar contexts, but badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

Where would bait be a reasonable alternative to hound?

While the synonyms bait and hound are close in meaning, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

When is it sensible to use chivy instead of hound?

Although the words chivy and hound have much in common, chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

In what contexts can heckle take the place of hound?

The words heckle and hound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

When can hector be used instead of hound?

While in some cases nearly identical to hound, hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

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 hound
Noun
Lions coming out of a tree to engage the hounds that chased it there. Malcolm Brooks Malcolm Hillgartner Krish Seenivasan Zak Mouton, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024 Greyhounds and Basset hounds are also more predisposed to trancing. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
In the novel, Adichie vividly imagines the lawyerly grilling, the media hounding, the experience of being ambushed and isolated. Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2025 But every time, clients of her eponymous jewelry gallery—New York City’s Mahnaz Collection—would hound her into selling them. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hound
Noun
  • Responding officers found the dog, and advised the owner to take the dog in.
    cleveland, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2023
  • Police brought in hundreds of law enforcement personnel with dogs, armored carriers, horses and helicopters that circled overhead.
    Maryclaire Dale, Marc Levy and Michael Rubinkam, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • That's just the type of news Scotch lovers need in these uncertain times.
    Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • And cinemas aren’t just offering that kind of enhanced blockbuster experience to bring in crowds beyond die-hard movie lovers.
    William Earl, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Majors also played the mega villain He Who Remains in Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaia.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025
  • As previously announced, Robert Downey Jr. will be back as the villain Doctor Doom instead of Iron Man.
    Michaela Zee, Variety, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Trojans must chase their third championship in program history without their star.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025
  • So just going out and trying to find better opportunities and continue to chase greatness.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Don’t Stay In Environments That Don’t Support Gender Parity Dr. Thomas urges women to assess whether staying in toxic environments is worth the emotional toll.
    Gena Cox, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • If there is an emergency, the FBI urges people to call local law enforcement or 911 immediately.
    Alexandra Koch, Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Psychologically, the fear of being a sucker is a distinctly aversive feeling.
    Tess Wilkinson-Ryan, TIME, 18 Mar. 2025
  • My theory is that this sticky sucker is so tough to slice that the poor bakery employee said screw it.
    Martin Vassolo, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • By the end of the episode, the audience is eager to meet the antihero, the brute, that everyone is talking about.
    Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Slinging a sports coat over his pajamas, Long pulls up to a curb and finds Tay (Dustin Nguyen), the Vietnamese speaker, plus two silent brutes, Eddie (Phi Vu) and Aden (Dali Benssalah), who muscle into his car and take over everything: the seating arrangements, the air freshener and their driver.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Dig in: The meal is $75 and includes dishes like jerk chicken with rice and peas and coconut collard greens, cow heel soup and crawfish hushpuppies.
    Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The Lion’s Tail is a transitional drink that tastes like if a Jamaican jerk chicken and a Whiskey Sour couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hound. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hound

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!