hound

1 of 2

noun

ˈhau̇nd How to pronounce hound (audio)
Synonyms of houndnext
1
a
: dog
b
: a dog of any of numerous hunting breeds including both scent hounds (such as the bloodhound and beagle) and sight hounds (such as the greyhound and Afghan hound)
2
: a mean or despicable person
3
: dogfish
4
: a person who pursues like a hound
especially : one who avidly seeks or collects something
autograph hounds

hound

2 of 2

verb

hounded; hounding; hounds

transitive verb

1
: to pursue with or as if with hounds
2
: to drive or affect by persistent harassing
hounder noun

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for hound

bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down.

bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

Examples of hound in a Sentence

Noun in the yard an old hound greeted us with a single bark a camera hound even before the baby arrived, he's now become obsessive Verb He is being hounded by the press. They hounded me with questions. They hounded me for my autograph. hound a politician out of office
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Today, Bishop, who resides in New Jersey with her hound dog Dolly, is keeping another idea from childhood close: the drive to keep learning. —Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2024 Murray’s Cheese 7 Monthly Cheese Clubs Shop at The giftable subscriptions available through Murray’s are enough to make any brie lover or gouda hound weep. —Sara Coughlin, SELF, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
And will the threats that have hounded state and local election officials continue? —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024 His beloved wife Penelope (Binoche) is a prisoner in her own home, hounded by suitors vying to be king. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hound 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hund; akin to Old High German hunt dog, Latin canis, Greek kyōn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hound was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing hound

Dictionary Entries Near hound

hounce

hound

hound's-tongue

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Hound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hound. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

hound

1 of 2 noun
ˈhau̇nd How to pronounce hound (audio)
1
: dog entry 1 sense 1a
2
: a dog of any of various hunting breeds having large drooping ears and a deep voice and following their prey by scent or sight

hound

2 of 2 verb
: to pursue with or as if with hounds

More from Merriam-Webster on hound

Nglish: Translation of hound for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hound

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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