1
as in enemies
a person who teases, threatens, or hurts smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable persons
the school has a procedure for students who want to report problems with bullies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the local loan shark and his bullies have ways of making people pay up
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in abuses
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
the kindergarten teacher explained why it was wrong to bully classmates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intimidates
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
the manager was fired for bullying employees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bullies
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Hilaria Baldwin says bullies are to blame for her sudden exit from Dancing With the Stars.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
Not negative friends or bullies.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 13 Oct. 2025
At the slightest provocation, Ye bullies, hectors, and screams at everyone from Paris fashion-show lackeys to the mother of his child.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
The school now plans on pulling the bullies from class, involving their parents and opening up a bullying investigation.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
To address this, the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) was founded in 2004 to register bullies and similar breeds.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
One reason politicians get such a bad rap is that so many depict themselves as having pure, noble motives on high-profile issues while being unrepentant, undemocratic bullies when there are fewer cameras around.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
If not for university presidents, law firm managing partners, and corporate chief executives standing up against bullies, who then will step up for the first amendment?
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
This offense is methodical, with hulking bullies up front and a bellwether back in Jonathan Taylor.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Hilaria Baldwin says bullies are to blame for her sudden exit from Dancing With the Stars.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
Not negative friends or bullies.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 13 Oct. 2025
At the slightest provocation, Ye bullies, hectors, and screams at everyone from Paris fashion-show lackeys to the mother of his child.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
The school now plans on pulling the bullies from class, involving their parents and opening up a bullying investigation.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
To address this, the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) was founded in 2004 to register bullies and similar breeds.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
One reason politicians get such a bad rap is that so many depict themselves as having pure, noble motives on high-profile issues while being unrepentant, undemocratic bullies when there are fewer cameras around.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
If not for university presidents, law firm managing partners, and corporate chief executives standing up against bullies, who then will step up for the first amendment?
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Cipher bullies other characters across the season about their powers, but because of Andre and Polarity’s degenerative abilities, this underscores the eugenics behind his beliefs.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bullies
Noun
-
Lower courts have ruled Trump overstepped his authority under a law historically used for imposing economic sanctions and other penalties on foreign enemies.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Price, a former Navy man, is conveying the exhaustion of Black sailors and soldiers in a military that continues to enshrine—most recently, in the names of Army bases—its Confederate enemies.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In The Big Lebowski, thugs mistake the titular slacker (Bridges) for the wealthy Jeffrey Lebowski, sending him on a wild investigation with his pal Walter (John Goodman) into a ransom plot involving Lebowski’s young wife (Tara Reid).—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Their neighbor, an older Jewish woman, gets arrested and Nazi thugs brazenly loot her apartment.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Bowles abuses those pass-blocking rules by stunting the three-technique, Logan Hall (90), across the left guard's face, knowing the guard will follow him.—
Derrik Klassen,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
With a name inspired by unity, strength and joy, Zayu transforms on the pitch as a striker, showcasing exceptional ingenuity and agility that intimidates defenders.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
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
-
To suggest that another candidate’s supporters are criminals — particularly when that candidate is, by all measures, poised to win at least a plurality of votes in the city — does not seem like a recipe for earning New Yorkers’ support.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Binance also lacked protocols — standard for financial services companies — to report transactions for money laundering risks, according to the Justice Department, and employees were well aware that such an oversight would invite criminals to the platform.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Yet if the Dodgers are to be cast as villains from the Book of Samuel, Toronto brought to the fight far more than pebbles.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
For the 2017 Dress to Be Free Halloween Party at House of Yes in New York City, Cardi B went as one of Disney's most notorious villains.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
McLusky, however, isn’t interested in meeting new gangsters or unknown criminals in his town.—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The other is about Chicago-style gangsters circa 1929.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bullies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bullies. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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