bullying

[ bool-ee-ing ]

noun

1. the act of harassing, intimidating, or abusing others, especially habitually or from a perceived position of relative power:

   Bullying and stress can impact students' experiences at school.

Other Words From

• un·bul·ly·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bullying¹

First recorded in 1675–85; bully ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def )

Example Sentences

With this season of “Housewives,” Beauvais’ fifth, she has had to contend with Jax’s decision to discontinue appearing in the series after experiencing online bullying.

From Los Angeles Times

House Democrats strongly condemned the resolution and accused Mace of bullying a fellow member of Congress.

From BBC

A sports coach at a special educational needs school who put pupils in headlocks has been jailed for his "cruel bullying" after the abuse was uncovered by a BBC Panorama investigation.

From BBC

The review, which focused on the period from 2008 to 2020, came after several gymnasts spoke out about bullying - with allegations of athletes being punished for needing the toilet.

From BBC

They have a remarkable tolerance for crass and bullying behavior, care little for empathy and ethics, and are incapable of weighing basic facts about public life.

From Salon

Related Words

• imperious