browbeat

[ brou-beet ]

verb (used with object)

, brow·beat, brow·beat·en, brow·beat·ing.

1. to intimidate by overbearing looks or words; bully:

   They browbeat him into agreeing.

   Synonyms: coerce, harass, badger, cow, tyrannize

browbeat

/ ˈbraʊˌbiːt /

verb

1. tr to discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate

Derived Forms

• ˈbrowˌbeater, noun

Other Words From

• browbeater noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of browbeat¹

First recorded in 1575–85; brow + beat

Example Sentences

So rather than pulling the U.S. out of NATO, he browbeat America’s allies but left the alliance and its institutions intact.

From Slate

He serves up a series of theories for admitting the incendiary proof of Trump’s alleged weeks-long campaign to browbeat Pence into violating the Constitution and disregarding bona fide electoral votes for Joe Biden.

From Los Angeles Times

I was in no position to browbeat her for it.

From Slate

Even when Roberts somehow scraped up the money to move to New York, his father continued to hound him with an endless stream of letters in which he would alternately browbeat him as an underachieving mediocrity, praise his talent, ask for money and accuse him of abandonment.

From Los Angeles Times

As often happens in hard-fought union campaigns, this one has generated a cross fire of allegations of unfair labor practices from both sides — the company asserting that the union defrauded workers into signing the representation cards, the union asserting that the company browbeat more than 100 workers into revoking their authorizations to drive the approval rate below the required 50%.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• badger
• bully
• coerce
• harass
• hector
• intimidate
• lean on
• oppress