as in bully
a person who teases, threatens, or hurts smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable persons
law penalizing debt collection agencies that operate like hectors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to intimidate
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hector
The Economist, 18 July 2017
Trump’s proposals to match China’s import fees and to hector companies into keeping jobs in the United States represent a huge threat to the mercantilist Asian economic model.
—Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register, 2 Apr. 2017
Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 18 May 2025
Indeed, last summer, Beijing hectored Cambridge University Press into sanitizing the digital archive of The China Quarterly, an important English-language academic journal, by removing over 300 articles the CCP found objectionable from its Chinese search function.
—Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
See All Example Sentences for hector
Noun
THE young woman with the microphone cajoles, hectors and wheedles customers with the breathless enthusiasm of a livestock auctioneer at a county fair.
—The Economist, 18 July 2017
Trump’s proposals to match China’s import fees and to hector companies into keeping jobs in the United States represent a huge threat to the mercantilist Asian economic model.
—Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register, 2 Apr. 2017
Verb
Vance’s hectoring message to Europe in February on his first trip abroad landed like a lead balloon with American allies.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 18 May 2025
Indeed, last summer, Beijing hectored Cambridge University Press into sanitizing the digital archive of The China Quarterly, an important English-language academic journal, by removing over 300 articles the CCP found objectionable from its Chinese search function.
—Orville Schell, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
See All Example Sentences for hector
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hector
Noun
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Raised in poverty, slugged by an anti-Spanish language teacher, jumped by Anglo bullies, wracked by childhood illnesses, Jesse held dear to his mother’s encouragement to pray often, work hard, and stay positive.—
Richard J. Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 July 2025
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Envision this: Your daughter is having a heart-to-heart with her Barbie doll about school bullies, family secrets and her deepest fears.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
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But moving from being a casual fan into understanding the intricacies of tennis can be intimidating.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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Although new gardeners often find coming up with a design intimidating, there are existing templates to work from.—
Special to The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Trump appointed Bondi as attorney general after numerous reports suggested the president wanted a loyalist who would do his bidding and seek retribution against his enemies, after Trump faced pushback in his first term from previous attorneys general like William Barr.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
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Still, fun enemy designs – such as one pictured above based on the Hydnellum peckii (bleeding tooth fungus) – already started to come together.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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But their return has also angered and frightened livestock farmers and others in rural communities who are having to learn to live alongside these once nearly-extinct creatures.—
Ruth Sherlock,
NPR,
9 July 2025
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But on Friday night, the booms and blasts of celebratory fireworks appear to have frightened them away.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hector.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hector. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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