hector

1 of 2

noun

hec·tor ˈhek-tər How to pronounce hector (audio)

capitalized : a son of Priam, husband of Andromache, and Trojan champion slain by Achilles

: bully, braggart

hector

2 of 2

verb

hectored; hectoring ˈhek-t(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce hector (audio)

intransitive verb

: to behave in an arrogant or intimidating way : to play the bully : swagger

transitive verb

: to intimidate or harass by bluster or personal pressure

football players being hectored by their coach

hectoringly

ˈhek-t(ə-)riŋ-lē How to pronounce hector (audio)

adverb

Did you know?

In Homer's Iliad, Hector, the eldest son of King Priam of Troy, was a model soldier, son, father, and friend, the champion of the Trojan army until he was killed by the Greek hero Achilles. So how did his name become a verb meaning "to intimidate or harrass"? That use was likely influenced by gangs of rowdy street toughs who roamed London in the 17th century and called themselves "Hectors." They may have thought themselves gallant young blades, but to the general populace they were swaggering bullies who intimidated passersby and vandalized property.

Example Sentences

Noun law penalizing debt collection agencies that operate like hectors Verb The judge ordered the attorney to stop hectoring the witness. the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Photo: hector retamal/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Seven hours into the march, Mrs. Lam apologized to the Hong Kong people for mishandling the bill.

Wenxin Fan, WSJ, 16 June 2019 Mr. Liggett sometimes used his art to hector neighbors in a score of grievances.

Donald Frazier, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2017 THE young woman with the microphone cajoles, hectors and wheedles customers with the breathless enthusiasm of a livestock auctioneer at a county fair.

The Economist, 18 July 2017 Trump’s proposals to match China’s import fees and to hector companies into keeping jobs in the United States represent a huge threat to the mercantilist Asian economic model.

Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register, 2 Apr. 2017 Schwarzenegger liked to hector state residents on global warming and green energy, and brag about his commitment to wind and solar power.

Victor Davis Hanson, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2017 Like Chaffetz, the South Carolina congressman used his position in the House to investigate and hector Hillary Clinton throughout her time as a presidential candidate.

OregonLive.com, 30 June 2017 Regardless, that scene between Matt and Nora was one of the most moving the show has offered, with Nora grateful for Matt’s company and lack of judgment, and Matt determined to just be there for her, and not hector or sermonize.

Spencer Kornhaber And Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 4 June 2017

Verb

But the plays don’t hector or propound moral lessons.

Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 Understanding this, the Left is trying to hector, bully, and censor its way toward establishing a ridiculous new conception of gender as a matter of personal choosing rather than biological fact.

The Editors, National Review, 16 Oct. 2021 The President didn't hector or condemn vaccine skeptics, but instead played on their heart strings, appealing to their desire to protect family, friends and country, warning that those who skipped the shot remained at great risk.

Stephen Collinson, CNN, 7 July 2021 The open display of raw tensions was remarkable even by the standards of a state Legislature where committee chairs routinely hector members of the public and their colleagues.

Andrew Oxford, The Arizona Republic, 24 Mar. 2021 Even among ordinary people, an individual’s desire to participate in day-to-day activities such as church services and dining out is enough cause to hector him for contracting the coronavirus.

Ellen Carmichael, National Review, 30 Dec. 2020 On Twitter, meteorologists who dared to hector their followers about the storm’s proper nomenclature received an earful from Iowans furious about the relative lack of national attention the storm had garnered.

Brianna Provenzano, refinery29.com, 17 Aug. 2020 From the start, Greeley hectored, lectured, and criticized the president, while offering him unsolicited and wildly inconsistent advice.

John Strausbaugh, National Review, 19 Dec. 2019 President Trump has been hectoring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, and financial markets are screaming for a cut.

Don Lee, latimes.com, 18 June 2019 See More

hector 1 of 2

noun

as in bully

a person who teases, threatens, or hurts smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable persons law penalizing debt collection agencies that operate like hectors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bully
intimidator
enemy
thug
bullyboy
abuser
harasser
torturer
oppressor
baiter
antagonist
gangster
rough
tease
tough
ridiculer
hooligan
heckler
ruffian
giber
hoodlum
rowdy
needler
goon
harrier
mocker
persecutor
taunter
roughneck
jiber
racketeer
hood
teaser
toughie
felon
cutthroat
punk
mobster
gunman
toughy
mug

hector

2 of 2

verb

as in to intimidate

to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed

Synonyms & Similar Words

intimidate
bully
browbeat
bogart
frighten
badger
coerce
bulldoze
scare
harass
startle
cow
threaten
blackjack
pick on
strong-arm
bullyrag
bluster
shock
pressure
bludgeon
hound
terrify
compel
force
terrorize
menace
spook
alarm
dragoon
unman
oblige
horrify
perturb
press
disturb
trash-talk
disconcert
constrain
demoralize
affright
alarum
discompose
unnerve
upset
push around
distress
disquiet
make
psych (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reassure
encourage
cheer
soothe
persuade
console
steel
comfort
convince
embolden
hearten
solace

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of hector are badger, bait, chivy, heckle, and hound. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

The synonyms badger and hector are sometimes interchangeable, but badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

Although the words bait and hector have much in common, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

While the synonyms chivy and hector are close in meaning, chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

The words heckle and hector can be used in similar contexts, but heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

The words hound and hector are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

单词	hector
释义	hector 1 of 2 noun hec·tor ˈhek-tər 1 capitalized : a son of Priam, husband of Andromache, and Trojan champion slain by Achilles 2 : bully, braggart hector 2 of 2 verb hectored; hectoring ˈhek-t(ə-)riŋ intransitive verb : to behave in an arrogant or intimidating way : to play the bully : swagger transitive verb : to intimidate or harass by bluster or personal pressure football players being hectored by their coach hectoringly ˈhek-t(ə-)riŋ-lē adverb Did you know? In Homer's Iliad, Hector, the eldest son of King Priam of Troy, was a model soldier, son, father, and friend, the champion of the Trojan army until he was killed by the Greek hero Achilles. So how did his name become a verb meaning "to intimidate or harrass"? That use was likely influenced by gangs of rowdy street toughs who roamed London in the 17th century and called themselves "Hectors." They may have thought themselves gallant young blades, but to the general populace they were swaggering bullies who intimidated passersby and vandalized property. Synonyms Noun bully bullyboy intimidator Verb blackjack bogart browbeat bulldoze bully bullyrag cow intimidate strong-arm See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun law penalizing debt collection agencies that operate like hectors Verb The judge ordered the attorney to stop hectoring the witness. the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed Recent Examples on the Web Noun Photo: hector retamal/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Seven hours into the march, Mrs. Lam apologized to the Hong Kong people for mishandling the bill. Wenxin Fan, WSJ, 16 June 2019 Mr. Liggett sometimes used his art to hector neighbors in a score of grievances. Donald Frazier, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2017 THE young woman with the microphone cajoles, hectors and wheedles customers with the breathless enthusiasm of a livestock auctioneer at a county fair. The Economist, 18 July 2017 Trump’s proposals to match China’s import fees and to hector companies into keeping jobs in the United States represent a huge threat to the mercantilist Asian economic model. Joel Kotkin, Orange County Register, 2 Apr. 2017 Schwarzenegger liked to hector state residents on global warming and green energy, and brag about his commitment to wind and solar power. Victor Davis Hanson, The Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2017 Like Chaffetz, the South Carolina congressman used his position in the House to investigate and hector Hillary Clinton throughout her time as a presidential candidate. OregonLive.com, 30 June 2017 Regardless, that scene between Matt and Nora was one of the most moving the show has offered, with Nora grateful for Matt’s company and lack of judgment, and Matt determined to just be there for her, and not hector or sermonize. Spencer Kornhaber And Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 4 June 2017 Verb But the plays don’t hector or propound moral lessons. Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 Understanding this, the Left is trying to hector, bully, and censor its way toward establishing a ridiculous new conception of gender as a matter of personal choosing rather than biological fact. The Editors, National Review, 16 Oct. 2021 The President didn't hector or condemn vaccine skeptics, but instead played on their heart strings, appealing to their desire to protect family, friends and country, warning that those who skipped the shot remained at great risk. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 7 July 2021 The open display of raw tensions was remarkable even by the standards of a state Legislature where committee chairs routinely hector members of the public and their colleagues. Andrew Oxford, The Arizona Republic, 24 Mar. 2021 Even among ordinary people, an individual’s desire to participate in day-to-day activities such as church services and dining out is enough cause to hector him for contracting the coronavirus. Ellen Carmichael, National Review, 30 Dec. 2020 On Twitter, meteorologists who dared to hector their followers about the storm’s proper nomenclature received an earful from Iowans furious about the relative lack of national attention the storm had garnered. Brianna Provenzano, refinery29.com, 17 Aug. 2020 From the start, Greeley hectored, lectured, and criticized the president, while offering him unsolicited and wildly inconsistent advice. John Strausbaugh, National Review, 19 Dec. 2019 President Trump has been hectoring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, and financial markets are screaming for a cut. Don Lee, latimes.com, 18 June 2019 See More Word History Etymology Noun and Verb Latin, from Greek Hektōr First Known Use Noun 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb 1660, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense hector 1 of 2 noun as in bully a person who teases, threatens, or hurts smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable persons law penalizing debt collection agencies that operate like hectors Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance bully intimidator enemy thug bullyboy abuser harasser torturer oppressor baiter antagonist gangster rough tease tough ridiculer hooligan heckler ruffian giber hoodlum rowdy needler goon harrier mocker persecutor taunter roughneck jiber racketeer hood teaser toughie felon cutthroat punk mobster gunman toughy mug hector 2 of 2 verb as in to intimidate to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed Synonyms & Similar Words intimidate bully browbeat bogart frighten badger coerce bulldoze scare harass startle cow threaten blackjack pick on strong-arm bullyrag bluster shock pressure bludgeon hound terrify compel force terrorize menace spook alarm dragoon unman oblige horrify perturb press disturb trash-talk disconcert constrain demoralize affright alarum discompose unnerve upset push around distress disquiet make psych (out) Antonyms & Near Antonyms reassure encourage cheer soothe persuade console steel comfort convince embolden hearten solace See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of hector are badger, bait, chivy, heckle, and hound. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering. football players hectored by their coach The synonyms badger and hector are sometimes interchangeable, but badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy. badgered her father for a car Although the words bait and hector have much in common, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim. baited the chained dog While the synonyms chivy and hector are close in meaning, chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging. chivied the new student mercilessly The words heckle and hector can be used in similar contexts, but heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker. drunks heckled the stand-up comic The words hound and hector are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing. hounded by creditors
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hector

noun

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser