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.
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Recent Examples of bully
Andrew Walsh, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
LaRusso winds up learning about a lot more than just facing down a bully.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
One student recounted the story of a citizen who was bullied because of her ethnicity and later died by suicide.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bully
Noun
Sam Saletta donned a junior-sized leather jacket to portray Butch, the neighborhood bully with a bone to pick with Spanky and Alfalfa.
—Andrew Walsh, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
LaRusso winds up learning about a lot more than just facing down a bully.
—David Morgan, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
Collective action deters bullies Harvard never stood alone.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
One student recounted the story of a citizen who was bullied because of her ethnicity and later died by suicide.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bully
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bully
Adjective
-
Brooks Lake Lodge and Spa Dubois, Wyoming Dating from 1922, Brooks Lake Lodge and Spa sits in a prime location in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, near Yellowstone National Park and Jackson Hole and just a mile from the Continental Divide.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Our famous but past-her-prime hero saddles up for one more go at glory, kicks serious butt, but ultimately falls short.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Calling out corporate entities and concentration of power as enemies also appears to be a winning strategy for Democrats in their messaging tactics.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Liverpool were their own worst enemy as their hopes of Champions League qualification suffered another blow.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And Davis’s integrity puts him at odds with his longtime fence, Money (Nick Nolte, nice and growly as ever), who responds by enlisting the services of Ormon (Barry Keoghan), a platinum-blond thug on a motorcycle.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The last major character is Ormon (Barry Keoghan), the thug hired by Nolte’s Money to terrorize his former protégé, and to make sure that any robbery ends with the money in the correct pocket (his).—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Videos and photos seized from Epstein's homes in New York, Florida and the Virgin Islands didn't depict victims being abused or implicate anyone else in his crimes, a prosecutor wrote in one 2025 memo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
At least two women who were prostituted and abused by Epstein and his clients had Colorado connections.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But overall, the Seahawks’ run game is far from intimidating, ranking 14th by DVOA and even worse by other advanced metrics, mostly due to an average offensive line with clear weak spots.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
While the idea of pouring water through your nose can sound intimidating, millions of people swear by it for easing congestion and improving breathing.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s also a 55% greater chance of obesity and a 40% higher probability of developing type 2 diabetes.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Punishing success is a great formula for losing the successful.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 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
-
As the now-45-year-old driver was announced at each racetrack in 2025, Hamlin, after years of embracing the role of villain in a sport in desperate need of one, had a heel-turn to the light.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Built into an old limestone quarry, the winery felt like a Bond villain’s secret lair—sleek, subterranean, and wildly impressive.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bully. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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