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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
And all of that mimicked the gloriously madcap fox hunt, minus hounds and the fox and made the horse the focus — hence the sobriquet for the sport, National Hunt racing. Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 Within the galleries, for example, there’s an early portrait of a breastfeeding noblewoman installed near a large 2019 Cecily Brown abstraction of cavorting horses and hounds. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
Lu Dort struggles on offense For all intents and purposes, Lu Dort, whose primary job in this series is to hound Jamal Murray for 48 minutes, is doing a solid job defensively. Kelly Iko, New York Times, 10 May 2025 Charlie is just a person in a unique position to help, so of course she’s persistently hounded by people who need it — and lots of people need it! Ben Travers, IndieWire, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for hound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hound
Noun
  • This included four search dogs, three doctors, a diving team and a water extraction contingent, Tunisia’s state news agency TAP reported.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN, 13 Sep. 2023
  • According to LifeLine, the DeKalb shelter takes in 135 dogs a week on average.
    Jim Gaines, ajc, 13 Sep. 2023
Noun
  • Hard and Semi-Soft Cheeses Good news for cheese lovers everywhere!
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 7 June 2025
  • The online marketplace is full of fellow antique lovers selling finds that date all the way back to the 1940s.
    Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • New threats emerge, including a ruthless new villain (Bill Skarsgård) and a blind assassin from Wick’s past, played by Donnie Yen in a standout performance.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 6 June 2025
  • Nicholas Hoult plays the film’s villain, the megalomaniac super-genius Lex Luthor.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • Redefining What Success Looks Like Instead of chasing traditional business blueprints rooted in overwork and hustle, many Black women are carving out a new model—one that centers sustainability, wellness, and self-preservation.
    Jasmine Browley, Essence, 28 May 2025
  • Photos show the furry intruder perched on top of the stove in the kitchen, where a warden and local sheriff's deputy discovered the animal before chasing it from the property through an open door.
    Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Hegseth urged Asian allies to step up defense spending.
    Liz Lee, USA Today, 3 June 2025
  • During tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service, people are urged to move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • What the Nuggets need to do is find a sucker who is willing to talk themselves into the remaining $79 million over two years owed to Porter, while sending back a couple of quality role players.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • Peppers that produce large fruit should only be lightly pruned to remove unproductive suckers, but smaller-fruited pepper plants can be pruned a little more aggressively to boost airflow and branching.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Conner was still battling his brute of a blue cat.
    Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 21 May 2025
  • Then comes the arrival of General Zod and his two primary compatriots – a warrior woman and a silent hulking brute – who do battle with Superman around the city, causing much destruction and threatening the life of Lois Lane and her Daily Planet coworkers.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • As part of Gabriel’s solution to showing Ansari’s character that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the Hollywood, the well-meaning angel body-swaps him with an uber-rich jerk, played by Seth Rogen.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
  • The left horse just wanted to shamble along, while the right horse pulled with frantic jerks.
    Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 25 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Hound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hound. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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