hectored 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of hectorednext
as in cowed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

hectored

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hector
as in intimidated
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectored
  1. intimidated
  2. bullied
  3. oppressed
  4. downtrodden
Verb
  • The day after Luigi Mangione was indicted for murder, 200 top American CEOs came together, under heavily armed protection, in a bold statement of defiance of the populist fringes, not frightened away or intimidated for standing up for leadership and American character.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
  • Ever since, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been too intimidated to try regulating this serious harm.
    Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of intimidated
Verb
  • Unfortunately for them, Steph won’t be bullied – even by paternalistic threats of being sued into oblivion.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Watch on Deadline His claims echoed the findings of a Deadline investigation in November 2023, which revealed allegations that Spencer bullied staff and students.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of bullied
Adjective
  • Thoughts of American battlefield heroes might conjure up images of overseas valor in service of oppressed and conquered people around the world.
    Kerry J. Byrne Fox News, Fox News, 22 Sep. 2024
  • That is to say: There must be an obvious corollary to an actual oppressed population.
    Caitlin PenzeyMoog, Vox, 7 Oct. 2024
Definition of oppressed
Adjective
  • Without help, the people today who are deemed not vulnerable enough to warrant aid will eventually become the most downtrodden — but only after years of difficulty, suffering, and diminished health.
    Carly Stern, Vox, 6 Dec. 2024
  • But unlike the 1964 television special’s downtrodden playthings, which eager girls and boys eventually welcome on Christmas morning, these items are gifts that have already been given—and rejected.
    Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of downtrodden
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near hectored

hector

hectored

hectoring

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Hectored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectored. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on hectored

Nglish: Translation of hectored for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of hectored for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Top 12 Sophisticated Compliments

Word of the Year 2024 | Polarization

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
white rubber duck stands out in a row of yellow ducks
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.