bully
1 Americannoun
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bullies
plural
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a blustering, mean, or predatory person who, from a perceived position of relative power, intimidates, abuses, harasses, or coerces people, especially those considered unlikely to defend themselves.
playground bullies targeting children with disabilities;
a workplace bully who cuts me off when I speak.
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Archaic. a man hired to do violence.
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Obsolete. a pimp; procurer.
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Obsolete. a good friend; good fellow.
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Obsolete. a sweetheart; darling.
verb (used with object)
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bullies,
present (3rd person singular)
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bullied,
past participle, past
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bullying
present participle
-
to intimidate, abuse, or harass, especially habitually.
The boy next door constantly bullies the younger children in the neighborhood.
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to coerce or compel by harassment or intimidation.
The salesman bullied me into upgrading the car's paint protection and rust-proofing.
verb (used without object)
-
bullies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bullied,
past participle, past
-
bullying
present participle
adjective
interjection
adjective
noun
noun
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bullies
plural
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Soccer. a desperate, freewheeling scramble for the ball by a number of players, usually in the goal area.
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Field Hockey. a method of putting the ball into play in which two opponents, facing each other, tap their sticks on the ground near the ball and then make contact with each other's sticks over the ball three times, after which each tries to gain possession of the ball.
noun
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a person who hurts, persecutes, or intimidates weaker people
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archaic a hired ruffian
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obsolete a procurer; pimp
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obsolete a fine fellow or friend
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obsolete a sweetheart; darling
verb
adjective
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dashing; jolly
my bully boy
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informal very good; fine
interjection
noun
Usage
What does bully mean? A bully is a person who harasses, abuses, intimidates, or coerces people, especially those with less power than they have or those considered weaker or vulnerable in some way. The word often implies that such behavior is repeated or habitual. Bully can also be a verb meaning to treat people in this way (to act as a bully toward them), as in The man who used to bully his classmates in school is now teaching children how not to bully others. Someone who is treated in this way is said to be bullied. The act of treating people in this way is called bullying. Bullies are primarily associated with school settings involving kids, but adults can be considered bullies as well. The most familiar form of a bully depicted in popular culture is the neighborhood or schoolyard bully, usually a physically strong or large child or teenager who uses their size to bully smaller, younger, or more timid kids. Famous fictional bullies that fit this profile include Biff Tannen from Back to the Future and Nelson Muntz from The Simpsons. However, the understanding of what constitutes bullying has evolved and broadened to encompass behavior that involves not just physical but emotional abuse and manipulation. Many studies have shown that bullying has long-lasting emotional and psychological effects, and many organized efforts and campaigns are devoted to preventing bullying in schools and elsewhere. The word cyberbully is used as a noun and a verb in the context of bullying that happens online. Bully can also be used a bit more generally to mean to force or coerce someone into doing something, as in The trainer bullied me into signing up for an expensive gym membership. An entirely different (and much less common) use of bully is as an adjective to describe something as great or excellent, as in What a bully day! It’s also used as an interjection meaning “Great!” or “Well done!” as in Bully for you: you got all A’s on your report card! These uses of the word are now typically considered old-fashioned. Example: Our school has a zero tolerance policy for bullying—bullies are immediately suspended.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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bullysimple
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bulliessimple
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have bulliedperfect
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has bulliedperfect
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am bullyingprogressive
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are bullyingprogressive
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is bullyingprogressive
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have been bullyingperfect progressive
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has been bullyingperfect progressive
Past
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bulliedsimple
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had bulliedperfect
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was bullyingprogressive
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were bullyingprogressive
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had been bullyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of bully1
First recorded in 1530–40; from Middle Dutch boele “lover”
Origin of bully2
First recorded in 1880–85; bull(dog) ( def. ) + -y 1 ( def. )
Origin of bully3
First recorded in 1750–55; from French bouilli, short for boeuf bouilli “boiled meat”; see origin at boil 1, beef
Origin of bully4
First recorded in 1860–65; of obscure origin
Explanation
You might still have terrifying dreams about the bully who harassed you on the playground in second grade. A bully is someone who intimidates people, usually those who are weaker or smaller. The classic example of a bully is a mean kid in a schoolyard who hassles or beats up younger students. While a child or a teenager can be a bully, so is anyone who uses power or strength to scare or harm other people. The word bully has gone through a mysterious evolution, from the 1530s when it meant "sweetheart," through the 17th century's meanings of "fine fellow," then "blusterer," and finally "harasser of the weak."
Vocabulary lists containing bully
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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.
See Examples For:
She spoke negatively of that experience and called her co-star a bully in her memoir, released earlier this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
The bond market has always been able to bully small countries that depend on external financing.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
The irony, however: That bully wasn’t completely off base.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Last year, a beauty pageant contestant was commended for standing up to a group of men who tried to bully her and other contestants over the skirts and western dresses they were wearing.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
“No doubt,” said Mr. Curtain as he drew near, “you are wondering why Martina Crowe was made Executive. After all, according to you, George, she was a bully and a cheat. Isn’t that right?”
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
Back at Hollywood Forever, she told the audience she likes “Carrie” because it reminds viewers to stand up to bullies and because it celebrates the world’s weirdos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Explaining his experiences of learning to stand up to bullies while growing up, he added: "It shouldn't define you. I just happen to have CP."
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
“I’m a hundred percent sure there are some bullies still there,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
“It is infectious to play a character who sees the best in people and isn’t mad at the world for all its foibles and bullies and shadows,” Sudeikis recently told the Hollywood Reporter.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
He was pretty sure bullies would have laughed heartlessly at those questions.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
An ultra-online 20-something, she was a front row witness to Gamergate, yet somehow she’s shocked to overhear about middle-school girls getting bullied on Instagram.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Musk’s forthright, crusty dad Errol sounds almost proud that something was bullied out of his son, but the movie avoids filling out that traumatic childhood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Stevenson said that since her mistake she had been ridiculed and bullied online.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Yet Newcastle's implosion was remarkable as a young team were bullied and outfought.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
“I’m sorry you were bullied at school,” he said.
From "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz
They will also be held directly responsible for protecting under-18s from pornography, online bullying, content that glorifies crime, and content that encourages eating disorders.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Elizabeth Amaya also has a daughter at the school, a senior, and Amaya said her daughter also feels that bullying is a problem and that the school is struggling to recover from the tragedy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Additional research highlighted systemic barriers experienced by women coaches, including bullying, harassment and unequal opportunities.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Australia implemented legislation barring children from social media platforms in December, part of a world-first crackdown designed to protect children from online bullying and "predatory algorithms".
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
They were not doing it for fun; they were not in it for lust or pleasure or revenge; they were not bullying me, the way Engel does; they were not angry with me.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
