as in cowed
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as in intimidated
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hectored
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
For over a century, citizens have been surveilled while the media is harassed and hectored into compromise, so that the official rhetoric of Slavic suprematism can go unchallenged.
—
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Jason Sudeikis, Robert Smigel, and George Wendt hectored Kelce to (1) make Taylor pony up for a new stadium and (2) propose already.
—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
At school, he was hectored because of his shabby wardrobe.
—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
For over a century, citizens have been surveilled while the media is harassed and hectored into compromise, so that the official rhetoric of Slavic suprematism can go unchallenged.
—
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Jason Sudeikis, Robert Smigel, and George Wendt hectored Kelce to (1) make Taylor pony up for a new stadium and (2) propose already.
—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectored
Adjective
-
The biggest hurdle, though, is simply believing the Elle Woods who learns to prove her doubters wrong at 16 would be so intimidated when faced with doing it again at 22.
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In traditional settings, people often feel rushed, intimidated, and unseen.
Verb
-
They got bullied in that one, showing a tremendous lack of physicality.
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Because he was being completely bullied and demeaned and excused.
Adjective
-
Audiences who endured the Miramax era have been browbeaten to believe that the best picture Oscar should go to a period piece that chokes out a sob from audiences.
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Not to the extent that the user is necessarily being browbeaten.
Verb
-
At the time of writing, as the Marine Traffic map shows, tanker traffic is barely moving through the Strait, and many ships, unable to obtain insurance or with their owners frightened at the level of risk involved, are refusing to advance.
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But because the president has frightened Congress, Congress doesn’t raise its voice when the president puts his Albert Speer–like building project, or intends to, on Congress’s land.
Adjective
-
The Irish were the original oppressed people from the English Empire, and the original colony.
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The body pointed to the fact that Iran’s Farabi cinema body, which oversees the country’s submission, was directly controlled by the hardline Islamic Republic regime government, which in turn has suppressed freedom of speech and brutally oppressed filmmakers across its 47 years in power.
Adjective
-
Many have camped out along the edge of the piles of crushed concrete and rebar, awaiting any word of their relatives.
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Garnish with more crushed red pepper and fresh oregano.
Adjective
-
The series tracks the pair’s investment in Wrexham AFC, a once-downtrodden team in Wales that has since risen to the verge of a promotion to the Premier League, the highest tier of British pro soccer.
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The Union’s Army of the Potomac, about 90,000 men, was looking downtrodden after the losses.
Cite this Entry
“Hectored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectored. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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