hectors 1 of 2

noun

plural of hector
as in enemies
a person who teases, threatens, or hurts smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable persons law penalizing debt collection agencies that operate like hectors

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hectors

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hector
as in intimidates
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hectors
Noun
Larry David, in character, hectors at the Wright brothers in the trailer for his new HBO Max series. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2026 At the slightest provocation, Ye bullies, hectors, and screams at everyone from Paris fashion-show lackeys to the mother of his child. — Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectors
  1. enemies
  2. intimidates
  3. bullies
  4. cows
  5. intimidators
  6. browbeats
  7. thugs
Noun
  • Federal law prohibits armed federal agents from conducting activities in and around polling places unless force is necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Cue the longstanding rancor … Motorists and cyclists seem to be natural enemies.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of enemies
Verb
  • Melanie Melanie came to this reunion prepared with both facts and a prosecutorial confrontation style that effectively intimidates all of her on-stage opponents.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the five vignettes, James, as his character Eddie Horniman, intimidates various individuals while going through the clean-up, the sacrifice, the angle, the cut and the judgment — all steps of serving Stella Artois.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of intimidates
Noun
  • In third grade, bullies pulled her hair and shoved her into a bathroom stall, breaking two of her fingers.
    — Nancy Jo Sales, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The horrifying filing details how bullies harassed her with Nazi salutes, slurs, and brutal violence following the October 7 massacre.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bullies
Verb
  • With their long and crescent-shaped horns, the Inyambo cows graze at the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza and at the homes of some of Rwanda's richest people, including President Paul Kagame.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 June 2026
  • The notion of cow tipping is based on the idea that cows sleep standing up.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of cows
Noun
  • All the while, Sarah is being hunted by corporate intimidators Dawson (Sam Worthington) and Rosetti (Willa Fitzgerald), who want to ensure her silence.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Definition of intimidators
Verb
  • The report starts by outlining how the league browbeats front offices with memos and other communication about cap circumvention and what qualifies, which is absolutely correct.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Scarface doesn’t just bark orders at his underlings but browbeats the whimpering Ventriloquist, giving him that warped double personality that made older characters like Two-Face so alluring.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of browbeats
Noun
  • These low-level thugs typically are not believed to be formally aligned with Iran.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Saint played Edie Doyle, whose brother was murdered by thugs working for a mob boss running a longshoremen's union; her character becomes involved with Brando's pugilistic dockworker Terry Malloy.
    — David Morgan, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of thugs

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hectoring
hectors
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Cite this Entry

“Hectors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectors. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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