What does bullying mean?
Bullying is the repeated, intentional mistreatment of a person who is perceived as less powerful, taking forms that range from physical aggression and name-calling to social exclusion and online harassment. It operates as an uncountable noun describing sustained behavior rather than isolated incidents, which is what distinguishes bullying from ordinary conflict between equals. The word carries firmly negative connotations and is central to discussions of school culture, workplace ethics, and child welfare, giving rise to established compounds such as 'cyberbullying' and phrases like 'anti-bullying policy'. Its root, 'bully', has a surprising history: the term entered English in the sixteenth century meaning 'sweetheart' or 'fine fellow', probably from Dutch, before gradually acquiring its modern sense of a cruel intimidator. Today, bullying is widely recognized as a serious social problem, and understanding the term matters because naming a behavior precisely is often the first step toward addressing it.
nounThe repeated, deliberate intimidation, mistreatment, or coercion of someone perceived as vulnerable, whether physical, verbal, social, or online.
- Repeated intimidation, harassment, or mistreatment of a weaker or more vulnerable person, especially over time.
- Domineering, aggressive behavior generally (as in workplace or cyberbullying contexts).
"The school introduced a zero-tolerance policy after several reports of bullying on the playground."
"She finally spoke up about the bullying she had endured at her new school."
"The company was fined after an inquiry into bullying by senior managers."
As a mass noun denoting the behavior, 'bullying' usually takes no plural; the plural 'bullies' applies to the base noun 'bully' (the people who intimidate others).
"The playground bullies were finally held accountable."
The word 'bully' originally meant 'sweetheart' — it took centuries of semantic drift for a term of affection to become one of cruelty.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bullying
Bullying derives from the verb 'bully', which comes from the noun 'bully', first recorded in English in the sixteenth century meaning 'sweetheart' or 'darling', most likely borrowed from Dutch 'boel' meaning lover or brother. Over the following centuries the word underwent a striking pejorative shift, coming to mean a swaggering coward who torments the weak by the seventeenth century, and the verb followed suit. The gerund form 'bullying' emerged naturally from this verb and became especially prominent in the twentieth century as psychologists and educators began studying aggressive behavior among children systematically.
Related word forms
How bullying is actually used
Bullying functions primarily as an uncountable verbal noun describing ongoing behavior rather than a single incident. In modern usage it carries strongly negative connotations and appears frequently in institutional, educational, and legal registers. Distinct compound forms such as 'cyberbullying' are now common enough to be treated as terms in their own right.
Easily confused with bullying
'Bulling' refers to the behavior of bulls (or slang for other acts); 'bullying' refers to intimidating or persecuting a person.