as in prime
of the very best kind
that's a bully idea for reviving the town's retail center
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in enemy
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
2
as in thug
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 to abuse
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 to intimidate
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bully
Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 May 2026
As our book makes clear, only collective action can neutralize a bully.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 11 May 2026
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 May 2026
Among her efforts at LJES was working with then-principal Stephanie Hasselbrink on ways to reduce conflict and bullying among students.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bully
Noun
Just the biggest bully in the league.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 May 2026
As our book makes clear, only collective action can neutralize a bully.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 11 May 2026
Verb
Lenny says he and his brother were bullied for being chubby but also for being poor.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 May 2026
Among her efforts at LJES was working with then-principal Stephanie Hasselbrink on ways to reduce conflict and bullying among students.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bully
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bully
Adjective
-
In 2024, Fritz & Franz was at risk of losing its lease with the Gables, but the City Commission at the time eventually agreed to renew the lease after the business agreed to pay more for its prime location.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
-
Plimsoll Productions is taking the unusual step of shopping a natural history program to networks and streamers as a format after Secret Garden securing a 30% prime-time audience share and becoming the biggest unscripted launch in the UK this year.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
In addition to the rotating contestants, Darrell Hammond almost always appeared as Trebek's enemy, a fictional version of the late Sean Connery.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
This could potentially raise billions of dollars for Iran while also putting pressure on Tehran’s ruling party’s enemies worldwide.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The masked thugs deposit a tearful middle-aged woman in front of Bass, Newsom, and Harris.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
My greatest wish is that this ruling sets a precedent for the Treasury and serves the thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused and crushed every day by a system that presumes their guilt and forces them to prove their innocence at the cost of economic and emotional ruin.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
18 May 2026
-
The 68-year-old pharmacist has targeted a House ethics investigation into whether Collins abused taxpayer funds by hiring the girlfriend of his former chief of staff — now his campaign adviser — for work that the woman allegedly did not perform.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Noblet admitted she was intimidated directing Clooney for the first time.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
In my opinion, his words were aimed at intimidating female athletes into compliance.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
The eye-catching color gives off instant vacation vibes, and looks great under a breezy white button-down or simply worn with the matching high-rise bottoms.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
-
The young people who pick up popular science books at the library tend to be deeply curious and self-motivated—qualities that also characterize great researchers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 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
-
Was that a conscious decision after the controversy surrounding past tweets that made some people see you as a villain during the Emilia Pérez Oscar campaign?—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Angel Reese has never had a problem embracing the villain role.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bully. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
