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
For those who have been told or badgered by family members to book travel early, doing so 21 days to 35 days ahead of travel resulted in an even more expensive 33% ticket hike. — Miami Herald, 19 May 2026 Nobody wants to be badgered for 30 days. — Dave Knox, Forbes.com, 14 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
  • The duo took to the stage during the event and addressed the crowd in character to tease the plot of the upcoming sequel, per USA Today.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The film also stars Sadie Sink, who attended Disney’s D23 fan celebration Friday as the studio teased its X-Men plans.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of tease
Noun
  • The franchise started with the original 2016 movie, which introduced fans to rabbit police officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and con artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman).
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • California’s bid to outlaw ‘glow-in-the-dark rabbits’ and ‘unicorn horses’ through experimentation fails.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of rabbit
Verb
  • McDonnell’s personal circle was also hounding her for repayment.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The reporting has been gratuitous and inhumane, no one deserves this hounding.
    — Nancy Doyle, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of hound
Noun
  • Health officials in Harford and Anne Arundel counties have issued new rabies alerts involving a raccoon, a fox and a bat.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Fans posted videos of themselves creating the fox fur and antler headpiece Patricia wore to that party.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of fox
Noun
  • The rabid raccoon was found near the 200 block of Cooley Mill Road in Havre de Grace, while the rabid fox was found near the 700 block of Walters Mill Road in Forest Hill, Maryland.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Jimothy the raccoon took over social media because of his unique shape due to a spinal condition.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 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
  • On Sunday, the show aired a follow-up after Buc-ee’s filed a lawsuit against Beaver’s Mini Mart of Beavercreek, Ohio, accusing it of copyright infringement over the use of a beaver as its mascot.
    — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The latest reports of rabid animals follows an incident in July in which a beaver infected with rabies bit a 13-year-old boy at Cunningham Falls State Park in Maryland's Frederick County.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of beaver

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Badger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/badger. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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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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