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.

Related Words

Relevance

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.

Related Words

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
As aldermen badgered the buyer, seller and Johnson’s top lawyers during the no-vote hearing, some zeroed in on the mayor, accusing his team of being unnecessarily secretive. — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 The stunning outcome caps a career like few others and shows the extent of the president’s ability to badger, badmouth and eventually boot out his political adversaries — and that no lawmaker is apparently safe. — ABC News, 20 May 2026
Noun
These animals included badgers, bats, crows, foxes, hedgehogs, otters and owls, among many others. — Elan Abrell, The Conversation, 22 July 2026 Both minks and otters are mustelids, a family of carnivores that also includes badgers, weasels, and wolverines. — Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 1 July 2026 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
  • Professional athletes have joked about it in the past, with even all-time NBA great LeBron James teasing at a potential college sports journey post-retirement—albeit as more of a joke than an actual plan.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The special included 27 minutes of content that revealed cinematic and gameplay scenes throughout the fictional Vice City and teases the overall narrative of the game.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of tease
Noun
  • The shop’s mascot, a rabbit, is named Lewis, after the original Lewis & Duncan grocery store that once inhabited the building.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In This Article From rabbits to squirrels, protecting our gardens from nibbles and bites is a season-long endeavor.
    — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of rabbit
Verb
  • Jason was not just hounded out of Cambridge or academia; he was hounded out of the workforce, hounded out of existence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • McDonnell’s personal circle was also hounding her for repayment.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of hound
Noun
  • In Lee’s vision of the team, SKC will have a different profile up top than the fox-in-the-box that is Joveljic.
    — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The organization highlighted careful monitoring, carried out with the farmers whose land the birds nested on, which allowed the nests to be fenced off from ground predators like foxes.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of fox
Noun
  • Other animals, such as raccoons, have tested positive in recent months.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Then the raccoon gets the gift of a lifetime when another fan hands him a full hot dog.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of raccoon
Noun
  • The ranch also may be home to threatened or endangered species, including Canada lynx, American marten, snowshoe hare and Gunnison’s prairie dog.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 28 June 2026
  • Otters are part of the weasel family (Mustelidae), which includes some of nature’s most ferocious pint-sized predators, such as badgers, martens, and wolverines.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of marten
Noun
  • The road where the otter was injured crosses several waterways that the animals often use, Pedrioli said.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The mile-long walk to Fisherman’s Wharf typically includes otter and harbor seal sightings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of otter
Noun
  • Over time, Michigan lawmakers developed a preference for free-flowing streams, according to Oakland University, leading to policies encouraging beaver removal via lethal control.
    — Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • No other beaver may prosper while the mighty Buc-ee draws breath.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of beaver

Browse Nearby Words

badge
badger
badgered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Badger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badger. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on badger

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about badger

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 More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

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

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All