bully him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bully him" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You would generally use this phrase when describing someone that is treating another person aggressively or intimidatingly. For example, "The older siblings would often bully him, even though he was the youngest in the family."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They bully him as they ask directions.

The Economist

The point, he believes, was to bully him into line.

The New York Times

Did scientists worldwide support him or bully him?

The Guardian

Canelo will try to bully him but Liam can bully.

The Guardian - Sport

I believe that the Republicans are too stupid to even bully him.

University of California, Berkeley

They saw a homeless man leaving a shop and started to bully him.

The Economist

Wherever he goes to school, I doubt people notice him enough to bully him.

The New Yorker

On this occasion, though, I managed to bully him a little.

The Guardian - Sport

He spent his last weeks fending off Hindu zealots trying to bully him out of India.

The Guardian - Opinion

He totally let an old man bully him around like Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino.

Independent

Professor Lake felt the suit was frivolous and meant to bully him, but he needed help.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about bullying, be specific about the actions taken. Instead of simply stating someone was bullied, describe the behavior (e.g., "They would constantly call him names and exclude him from activities").

Common error

Avoid generalizing the bullying behavior. Instead of saying someone was "being mean," provide concrete examples of the actions or words used to "bully him".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bully him" functions as a verb phrase, where "bully" acts as the transitive verb and "him" serves as the direct object. This indicates an action performed by someone towards a male individual. Ludwig confirms the correctness and usability of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Academia

5%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "bully him" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. It describes the act of intimidating or harassing a male individual. Predominantly found in News & Media, with some use in academic and informal contexts, the phrase carries a generally neutral register, though the act it describes is negative. To avoid vagueness in your writing, provide specific examples of bullying behavior. Consider alternatives such as "intimidate him" or "harass him" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intimidate him

Replaces "bully" with a more formal term for causing fear.

push him around

An informal way to say treat someone in a domineering manner.

coerce him

Emphasizes using pressure to force someone to do something.

harass him

Persistent disturbance, torment or threatening.

dominate him

Suggests having control or power over someone.

browbeat him

To intimidate (someone), as with stern or overbearing speech; bully.

oppress him

Implies unjust and cruel exercise of authority or power.

badger him

To harass or urge persistently; pester; nag.

victimize him

To single (someone) out unfairly for punishment or ill-treatment.

torment him

Implies a high degree of suffering on the target.

FAQs

How can I use "bully him" in a sentence?

You can use "bully him" to describe someone intimidating or harassing another person, such as, "The older kids would often "bully him" on the playground."

What are some synonyms for "bully him"?

Some synonyms for "bully him" include "intimidate him", "coerce him", or "harass him", depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "bully him"?

Yes, "bully him" is grammatically correct. "Bully" is used as a verb followed by the object pronoun "him".

What is the difference between "bully him" and "bully them"?

"Bully him" refers to bullying a single male individual, while "bully them" refers to bullying a group of people (regardless of gender).