bully
ˈbʊli
bulliedbulliesbulliest
Definition Synonyms Conjugation

Definition of bully - Reverso English Dictionary

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Verb

tr.
1.
behaviorintimidate someone using strength or power
  • He would often bully his classmates at school.
harass intimidate
2.
coerceuse threats to make someone do something
  • They tried to bully him into signing the contract.
browbeat intimidate

Noun

1.
intimidationperson who uses strength to intimidate others
  • The bully made everyone in class feel scared.
tormentor
2.
behaviornoisy person who is threatening and quarrelsome
  • The bully at the bar picked fights with everyone.
antagonist tormentor

Adjective

1.
high qualityDatedUSexcellent, first-rateDatedUS
  • That was a bully performance by the team!
splendid superb
2.
personalityDatedUKjovial and full of energyDatedUK
  • He was in a bully mood at the party.
energetic lively spirited
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Expressions with bully

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
force someone to do something by using threats or pressure
He bullied her into doing his homework for him..
force someone to do something by using threats or fear
They tried to bully him into quitting his job.
aggressive or intimidating actions to control others
The company used bully boy tactics to force smaller competitors out of the market.
position of authority used to speak out on issues
The president used the bully pulpit to address the nation.
methods used to intimidate or control others
The manager's bully tactics created a hostile work environment.
person succeeding in easy tasks but failing in tough ones
He's a flat-track bully, thriving only in simple projects.

Origin of bully

Dutch, boel (lover)

Terms with bully included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
bully
person using force to get things
clique bully
girl who is part of clique that bullies others
bully
push someone repeatedly or roughly
bullying
bully or intimidate someone to get what you want
person
rude fellow or coarse bully
bully
prank pulling underpants over the head causing discomfort
bully
person who uses words to scare others
history
historical ruffian or bully from the 16th-17th century

Examples of bully in a sentence

  • Online trolls often bully others on social media.
  • She bullied her classmates into doing her homework.
  • The manager bullied the team into working overtime.
  • The bully was finally confronted by his peers.
  • Teachers intervened to stop the bully's actions.
  • The bully in the playground scared the kids.

View all translations of bully

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:intimider, harceleur, ...
  2. German:schikanieren, Tyrann, ...
  3. Italian:intimidire, bullo, ...
  4. Spanish:intimidar, matón, ...
  5. Portuguese:intimidar, valentão, ...
  6. Chinese:欺负, 恶霸, ...
  7. Japanese:いじめる, いじめっ子, ...
  8. Arabic:تَنَمَّرَ, مُتَنَمِّر, ...
  9. Hebrew:לְהֵצִיק, בִּרְיוֹן, ...
  10. Russian:запугивать, хулиган, ...
  11. Ukrainian:залякувати, хуліган, ...
  12. Hindi:धमकाना, गुंडा, ...
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