bullies

NOUN

domineering person

Synonyms

STRONGEST

oppressor rascal

STRONG

annoyer bulldozer harrier hector persecutor pest rowdy ruffian tease tormenter tough

WEAK

antagonizer browbeater coercer insolent intimidator

VERB

intimidate, push around

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bludgeon browbeat coerce harass hector oppress persecute terrorize threaten torment torture

STRONG

bluster buffalo bulldoze cow domineer dragoon enforce menace overbear showboat swagger tyrannize

WEAK

despotize lean on ride roughshod turn on the heat walk heavy

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid alleviate boost delight help make happy please relieve

WEAK

allow leave alone

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A friend of the 15-year-old suspect, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, described the boy as uptight, who got into fights with his bullies because he refused to let insults pass.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026

Unified could have — or should have — done more to protect her from campus bullies.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Over time, bullies became the exception and not the norm as prosocial traits became more likely to help genes get passed down.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

The success of the bearded, ass-kicking Ranger marked a stunning reversal of fortune for Norris, who grew up a shy, unathletic child, who "used to daydream about being strong...to beat up the bullies".

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

I wasn’t the type of person to engineer fights between seventh-grade bullies and my brother after school, but I was still mad.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad