badger 1 of 2

verb

Definition of badgernext
as in to tease
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders He's always badgering me about the dishes.

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badger

2 of 2

noun

as in rabbit
the pelt or fur of a badger The boutique features a variety of scarfs, including badger, fox, and ermine.

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word badger distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of badger are bait, chivy, heckle, hector, and hound. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

When could bait be used to replace badger?

The words bait and badger are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

When might chivy be a better fit than badger?

The words chivy and badger can be used in similar contexts, but chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

When is it sensible to use heckle instead of badger?

The synonyms heckle and badger are sometimes interchangeable, but heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

In what contexts can hector take the place of badger?

Although the words hector and badger have much in common, hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

When would hound be a good substitute for badger?

The meanings of hound and badger largely overlap; however, hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

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 badger
Verb
Yet the badgering persisted, and the Armstead family decided to move elsewhere On May 1, 2020, Miles Armstead returned to that vacant house and began preparing it to be sold. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2025 My oldest child is in a relationship and has been badgering me about wanting to bring his girlfriend. —Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 15 May 2025
Noun
Previous studies have shown anything from amphibians to small birds, eggs and snails in ferret badger feces. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025 Wolverines are members of the weasel family, like ferrets and badgers, and are known for being ferocious and cunning carnivores. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for badger
Recent Examples of Synonyms for badger
  1. tease
  2. rabbit
  3. hound
  4. fox
  5. raccoon
  6. marten
  7. otter
  8. beaver
Verb
  • The first step is a boot camp in a mountainous ski resort, where Karolina is teased by the other girls and gets so much preferential treatment from Vitek that Lucie, enraged, locks her outside in the snow and nearly kills her in the process.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 10 July 2025
  • Since last year, Justin Bieber has been teasing the launch of his new fashion brand, Skylrk.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 10 July 2025
Definition of tease
Noun
  • Some of the best grain-free dog foods will contain animal proteins from bison, venison, rabbit and other fairly uncommon protein sources.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
  • The wafting of a memory, the rustle of a rabbit through a snowbank, the unfolding of a rose.
    — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
Definition of rabbit
Verb
  • There was no moment in the tournament that better captured the spirit of football and its role as an emotional release valve than when every member of the squad hounded Gray.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 8 July 2025
  • His longtime chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, allegedly hounded an InterContinental Hotel security guard until Combs successfully secured footage of Combs attacking Ventura in March 2016.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
Definition of hound
Noun
  • The animals included 12 bats, nine racoons, eight skunks, two groundhogs, a bobcat, three cats and a fox, data shows.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2025
  • The video has since charmed viewers online, racking up over 122,000 views and sparking plenty of affection for the toy-thieving fox cub and its mischievous crew.
    — Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
Definition of fox
Noun
  • Rabies is a fatal viral disease primarily found in bats and wild carnivores, such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes, also referred to as rabies vector species.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2025
  • Tomato plant issues range from pests like deer and raccoons to environmental factors.
    — Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 11 July 2025
Definition of raccoon
Noun
  • At the same time, marten populations shot up and the researchers began to see their scat in new areas.
    — Siddhant Pusdekar, Journal Sentinel, 5 July 2024
  • This acquisition will improve the habitat for Wisconsin’s endangered American marten, which has been facing a dwindling habitat.
    — Noël Fletcher, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Definition of marten
Noun
  • To their surprise and excitement, the otter experts noticed a set of photos from February 2024 showing a Eurasian otter — the country’s first sighting of the species in 11 years, the organization told McClatchy News via email.
    — Aspen Pflughoeft July 11, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
  • The six-acre park has roughly 190 animals to see, which include bald eagles, porcupines, otters, emus and laughing kookaburras.
    — Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 10 July 2025
Definition of otter
Noun
  • Keep your eyes peeled for beavers in the three lakes, moose grazing near the shoreline, and various bird species throughout the journey.
    — AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 7 July 2025
  • The Super Fuels logo features a brown, smiling dog in a red cape set against a blue background, which the lawsuit argues mimics Buc-ee's iconic logo of a beaver wearing a red cap on a yellow backdrop.
    — Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Definition of beaver

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Cite this Entry

“Badger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badger. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on badger

Nglish: Translation of badger for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about badger

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