bullying

The word “bullying” means repeated aggressive behavior intended to intimidate, hurt, or make life difficult for someone perceived as weaker. In plain terms, the ongoing act of intimidating or mistreating someone weaker than you.

“Bullying” is pronounced BUU-lee-ihng (/ˈbʊ.li.ɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “bullying” used in a sentence: “The school introduced a strict anti-bullying policy.”

“Bullying” is a noun.

“Bullying” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Teasing is usually light, mutual, and playful, while bullying is repeated aggressive behavior meant to intimidate or hurt someone perceived as weaker. The defining differences are the intent to harm, the imbalance of power, and the repetition over time.

Both involve unwanted aggressive behavior, but 'bullying' typically describes repeated intimidation of someone perceived as weaker, often among peers or children. 'Harassment' is a broader, often legal term for unwanted conduct, especially when it targets protected characteristics such as race or sex.

Bullying commonly takes physical, verbal, and social forms, and it increasingly happens online as cyberbullying. All of them share the same core feature: repeated behavior intended to intimidate or hurt someone perceived as weaker.

Bullying is defined by repetition and a power imbalance directed at someone perceived as weaker. A single disagreement or fight, without that ongoing pattern of intimidation, is usually treated as a conflict rather than bullying.