Bullying Behavior

verb to cause someone to submit to one's wishes through intimidation or fear

• The boss's stern demeanor cowed the employees into silence.
• The intimidating presence of the security guard cowed the troublemakers into behaving.
• The bully's threats cowed the other kids on the playground.
• Despite her fear, she refused to be cowed by the challenges ahead.

noun a person who mocks or derides others; a person who imitates or mimics in a scornful or contemptuous manner

• The mocker in the audience made derogatory remarks throughout the speaker's presentation.
• Don't pay attention to that mocker, they're just trying to get a reaction out of you.
• That mocker is always talking trash about everyone behind their backs.
• The wind howled like a mocker, taunting the trees with its fierce gusts.

verb present participle of sneer

adjective showing contempt or scorn by smiling or making a face

• The professor gave a sneering look to the student who asked a question without raising their hand.
• She couldn't help but give a sneering smile when she saw her ex's new haircut.
• The bully was always sneering at the smaller kids in the school yard.
• The politician's speech was filled with sneering remarks towards his opponents.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• It is important for leaders to create a culture of respect and equality in the workplace, rather than allowing a culture of kissing up and kicking down.
• I can't stand people who kiss up to the boss but then kick down on their colleagues.
• I hate when people brown-nose the higher-ups and then throw their coworkers under the bus.
• In the world of politics, it's common to see politicians kiss up to those in power and kick down on marginalized communities.