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hound

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hound distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hound are badger, bait, chivy, heckle, and hector. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

When could badger be used to replace hound?

The words badger and hound can be used in similar contexts, but badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

Where would bait be a reasonable alternative to hound?

While the synonyms bait and hound are close in meaning, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

When is it sensible to use chivy instead of hound?

Although the words chivy and hound have much in common, chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

In what contexts can heckle take the place of hound?

The words heckle and hound are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

When can hector be used instead of hound?

While in some cases nearly identical to hound, hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

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 hound
Noun
For fervent powder hounds, guests of the hotel can have concierge arrange private ski tours. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025 Powder hounds are also reveling in the addition of 20 new runs, like the voluminous Green Monster with a 2,820-foot vertical and average ski time of 20-30 minutes. Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
In particular, the group hounded presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, protesting her support of her husband Bill’s pro-police, pro-incarceration 1994 crime bill. Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025 Drones struck others and also hounded the dismounted infantry. David Axe, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hound
Noun
  • The remains were found by two men who were running their dogs and looking for rocks, according to DNASolves.
    CBS News, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2023
  • According to LifeLine, the DeKalb shelter takes in 135 dogs a week on average.
    Jim Gaines, ajc, 13 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • Beverly ends up doing something he’s not done before — falling deeply for one of their patients/lovers, actress Claire (Geneviève Bujold).
    Barry Levitt, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Cascada’s rendition replaces Reilly’s yearning with decidedly more bombast, but the ecstatic feeling of connecting with a lover – whether on an elevator, dancefloor or basketball court – remains at the center.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Children meet superheroes and villains, engage with games and movies, and are greeted by staff in costume.
    Chris Gallagher, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The soul patch, villain, and walrus facial hair all work with masks while mutton chops and chin curtain don’t.
    Lisa Wood Shapiro, Wired News, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The capturing of one of the sun's most elusive features is bound to inspire others to chase partial eclipses, particularly those occurring at sunrise or sunset, Seaton said.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The five-hour ordeal ended after the hostage fled while retrieving water, prompting Akkad to chase him into the street, where he was hit by a police car.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Commissioner Cox urged any witnesses of the crash to contact the Boston Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Authorities described the situation as chaotic and urged families to use the reunification site to speed up the victim identification process.
    T. Michelle Murphy, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These stems, called suckers, are a different variety than the top growth and will have different flowers, as well as drawing energy and resources away from the main plant.
    Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Whatever the color, your boy Ethan Hunt is gonna hang on that sucker for dear life because he’s got things to do and a world to save yet again.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • By the end of the episode, the audience is eager to meet the antihero, the brute, that everyone is talking about.
    Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Slinging a sports coat over his pajamas, Long pulls up to a curb and finds Tay (Dustin Nguyen), the Vietnamese speaker, plus two silent brutes, Eddie (Phi Vu) and Aden (Dali Benssalah), who muscle into his car and take over everything: the seating arrangements, the air freshener and their driver.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But this Ron Howard was an alternate universe version of Ron Howard, who instead of being notoriously nice, is sort of a jerk.
    Esther Zuckerman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Someone actually just said to me that all the men in the book are jerks.
    Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hound. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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