badgering
Persistent unwelcome pressure
Badgering is persistent, aggressive questioning or harassment—wearing someone down through relentless pressure rather than a single confrontation.
The word evokes the old blood sport of badger-baiting, where dogs were set upon a cornered animal.
A lawyer badgering a witness keeps pushing the same point: The judge told the attorney to stop badgering the defendant.
Persistent unwanted attention
- naggingPersistent bothering or complaining
- houndingPersistently pursuing or pressuring
- hasslingPersistent irritating pressure
- hectoringAggressive verbal intimidation
browbeating · tormenting · bullying · heckling · taunting · teasing · baiting · antagonizing
Exerting influence to compel
- intimidatingInspiring fear or unease
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- strong-armingPressuring through threats
- browbeatingIntimidating with stern pressure
coercing · arm-twisting · leaning on · pushing · compelling · forcing · manipulating · wearing down
Continuing without pause
- insistentFirmly demanding attention
- unrelentingRefusing to let up
- doggedStubbornly persevering
- tenaciousStubbornly determined to continue
importunate · incessant · persistent · unceasing · constant · continual · repeated · tireless
Causing mild frustration
- bothersomeCausing mild annoyance
- vexingCausing mild torment
- exasperatingIntensely irritating
- aggravatingCausing irritation or worsening
irksome · maddening · infuriating · grating · nettlesome · wearisome · tiresome · trying
pestering
Persistent unwanted attention
- naggingPersistent bothering or complaining
- houndingPersistently pursuing or pressuring
- hasslingPersistent irritating pressure
hectoring · browbeating · tormenting · bullying · heckling · taunting · teasing · baiting · antagonizing · provoking
pressuring
Exerting influence to compel
- intimidatingInspiring fear or unease
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- strong-armingPressuring through threats
browbeating · coercing · arm-twisting · leaning on · pushing · compelling · forcing · manipulating · wearing down · steamrolling
relentless
Continuing without pause
- insistentFirmly demanding attention
- unrelentingRefusing to let up
- doggedStubbornly persevering
tenacious · importunate · incessant · persistent · unceasing · constant · continual · repeated · tireless · determined
irritating
Causing mild frustration
- bothersomeCausing mild annoyance
- vexingCausing mild torment
- exasperatingIntensely irritating
aggravating · irksome · maddening · infuriating · grating · nettlesome · wearisome · tiresome · trying · tedious
- courtroom expressionsobjection, sustained, overruled, all rise, guilty
- annoying behaviorsnagging, pestering, bothering, irritating, aggravating
- interferenceinterfering, meddling, intruding, butting in, obstructing
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- irritatingannoying, aggravating, bothersome, exasperating, frustrating
- pet peevesannoyance, loud chewing, irritation, loud talking, frustration
badgeringleaving alone
Ceasing to disturb
backing off · letting be · relenting · yielding · acquiescing
badgeringcomforting
Giving emotional ease
soothing · reassuring · calming · assuaging · cheering