as in browbeating
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Dissimilar Words
as in intimidating
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hectoring
Greg Evans, Deadline, 31 Dec. 2025
Sure, there's the hectoring of Federal Reserve officials, Chairman Jerome Powell and Governor Lisa Cook, and the attempt by the president to make the central bank another appendage of the White House.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Dealing with the hectoring racket of New York fans may well have prepared him to withstand the noise of the Super Bowl.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
Imagine if Clooney had chosen to use his star power to spotlight a genuinely worthy project — the way, say, Sarah Paulson did with Appropriate or Keanu Reeves is doing with Waiting For Godot — rather than the stuffy, moribund, on-the-nose hectoring that was Good Night, and Good Luck?
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 31 Dec. 2025
Sure, there's the hectoring of Federal Reserve officials, Chairman Jerome Powell and Governor Lisa Cook, and the attempt by the president to make the central bank another appendage of the White House.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
Perhaps more meaningfully, the message is the antithesis of a contrived political pitch or a hectoring sermon.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Dealing with the hectoring racket of New York fans may well have prepared him to withstand the noise of the Super Bowl.
—Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectoring
Verb
-
This is the page in the racing program full of numbers, abbreviations and lines that looks intimidating at first.—
Neil Greenberg,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
The Chapitos helped Rocha Moya, who has been governor since November 2021, get elected by stealing ballots, as well as kidnapping and intimidating opponents, the document said.—
Tom Winter,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Bukele shook off his delusions of being the emperor of social media and abandoned his bullying tactics in the face of the biggest bully.—
Óscar Martínez,
The Dial,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Before her role in Sacramento, Dains was accused of racial discrimination, workplace bullying and abuse of power while managing the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His process of doing so involved disparaging his accusers, browbeating people and institutions that no longer wanted to be associated with him, and refusing to accept a path that precluded a return to being a public figure.—
Elizabeth Spiers,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Analysts have suggested a vote from Waller in favor of interest rate cuts, aligning with the president’s browbeating demands for lower borrowing costs—could be seen as a bellwether for his candidacy.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After Douglas, Miami picked up a 6-5 1/2, 261-pound bulldozing blocking tight end in Kacmarek, who can be an asset in paving holes in the run game.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Their bulldozing run up through non-League and the EFL deserves respect, but they’re not held together by a rubber band.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This onslaught has led to a musical chairs of lawsuits and settlements—and, occasionally, partnerships—between the Big Three labels and the AI startups attempting to crib their artists’ styles.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Makar’s second-period brilliance held as the game-winning goal, while Nicolas Roy and Devon Toews added to the onslaught in the third period.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If needed, these personal alarms can be used to ward off threats, including people or animals, and serve to alert nearby rescue teams.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
-
Iranian American actor Anthony Azizi says the continuing Middle East conflict has sparked rising persecution of Iran’s Baha’i minority, including its members being jailed and tortured under the threat of execution.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The novel delivers all the frenzy of a gold rush with rhythmic, hypnotic prose.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Look at the frenzy of activity on Thursday night.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Internal revolt The clash over Russia and Israel has exposed a divide between the Biennale’s board and members of the international jury, a rotating cast of art world figures which awards the fair’s top prizes.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
-
The fiercest tax revolts are brewing at the local level.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hectoring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectoring. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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