Bullying is something many kids face, either in school, on the playground, or even online. It can make people feel sad, scared, or alone. When people talk about bullying, they sometimes use special phrases called idioms. These idioms help explain what bullying feels like, or how someone acts when they are being mean to others. Idioms can make hard ideas easier to talk about and understand.
In this article, we will learn about some idioms that are used to describe bullying. You will see how these phrases show what bullying looks or feels like. We will also look at what the idioms mean and how to use them in real life. These idioms can help you talk more clearly about bullying and how to deal with it.
Idioms About Bullying
1. Pick on someone
Meaning: To repeatedly bother or treat someone badly.
Example Sentence:
• The bigger kids picked on Max during lunch.
• She gets picked on because of her glasses.
Other ways to say: Bully, tease
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase has been used since the 1800s to mean choosing someone in a mean way.
Usage: Used when someone is treated badly again and again.
2. Push someone around
Meaning: To tell someone what to do in a mean way or treat them roughly.
Example Sentence:
• No one should push others around just because they’re bigger.
• He was tired of being pushed around by the older kids.
Other ways to say: Boss around, bully
Fun Fact/Origin: It shows both being bossy and using force.
Usage: Used when someone uses force or control to be mean.
3. Throw their weight around
Meaning: To use power or strength to act like a bully.
Example Sentence:
• The team captain started throwing his weight around.
• Don’t throw your weight around just because you’re taller.
Other ways to say: Act bossy, show off strength
Fun Fact/Origin: First used in the 1900s, it shows someone acting strong in a mean way.
Usage: Used when someone uses power to scare others.
4. Call the shots
Meaning: To be the one in control, often in a pushy way.
Example Sentence:
• She always calls the shots and never listens to others.
• Bullies like to call the shots so others follow them.
Other ways to say: Be the boss, be in charge
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports or shooting games.
Usage: Used when someone controls others too much.
5. Talk down to
Meaning: To speak in a rude way like someone is not smart.
Example Sentence:
• He talks down to kids who aren’t good at sports.
• Don’t talk down to others—it’s unkind.
Other ways to say: Be rude, act better than
Fun Fact/Origin: Means to speak from a “higher place.”
Usage: Used when someone treats others like they are less.
6. Give someone a hard time
Meaning: To tease, bother, or bully someone.
Example Sentence:
• They gave him a hard time for liking cartoons.
• Stop giving your sister a hard time.
Other ways to say: Tease, bother
Fun Fact/Origin: The “hard time” means making life more difficult.
Usage: Used when someone is being mean or teasing.
7. Kick someone when they’re down
Meaning: To be mean to someone who’s already sad or upset.
Example Sentence:
• After he lost the game, they made fun of him—kicking him when he was down.
• She was crying, and they still laughed at her.
Other ways to say: Be cruel, be extra mean
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from old fights where someone is attacked even more after losing.
Usage: Used when someone is hurt more during a bad moment.
8. Rub it in
Meaning: To keep reminding someone of something bad to make them feel worse.
Example Sentence:
• He kept rubbing it in that I lost.
• Don’t rub it in—everyone makes mistakes.
Other ways to say: Tease, mock
Fun Fact/Origin: Like rubbing salt in a wound—it makes it worse.
Usage: Used when someone won’t let a mistake go and keeps teasing.
9. Put someone down
Meaning: To say mean things to make someone feel small.
Example Sentence:
• Bullies like to put people down with mean jokes.
• Don’t put others down to feel big.
Other ways to say: Insult, disrespect
Fun Fact/Origin: Means to lower someone with words.
Usage: Used when someone uses words to hurt feelings.
10. Have it in for someone
Meaning: To keep being mean to the same person.
Example Sentence:
• The bully had it in for Jake all year.
• She has it in for anyone who does well in class.
Other ways to say: Hold a grudge, target
Fun Fact/Origin: Shows someone has a plan to bother someone else.
Usage: Used when someone keeps picking on the same person.
11. Pick a fight
Meaning: To start an argument or trouble on purpose.
Example Sentence:
• He picked a fight just to look tough.
• Don’t pick a fight when you’re angry.
Other ways to say: Start trouble, cause a problem
Fun Fact/Origin: “Pick” means choose—this shows someone chooses to cause trouble.
Usage: Used when someone tries to start trouble with another person.
12. Act big
Meaning: To try to seem tough or more important.
Example Sentence:
• He acts big, but he’s really scared inside.
• Bullies act big to hide their own worries.
Other ways to say: Show off, pretend to be strong
Fun Fact/Origin: It means trying to look more important than you are.
Usage: Used when someone acts tough to impress or scare others.
13. Be a pain in the neck
Meaning: To bother or annoy someone a lot.
Example Sentence:
• That bully is a pain in the neck during lunch.
• Don’t be a pain to your classmates.
Other ways to say: Be annoying, be trouble
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that neck pain keeps bothering you.
Usage: Used when someone is always causing trouble.
14. Lay into someone
Meaning: To yell at or hit someone harshly.
Example Sentence:
• He laid into the new kid for no reason.
• She laid into him after he dropped her book.
Other ways to say: Attack, scold
Fun Fact/Origin: “Lay into” means to hit or go hard on someone.
Usage: Used when someone is mean with words or actions.
15. Blow up at someone
Meaning: To get very angry suddenly.
Example Sentence:
• He blew up at his friend over nothing.
• Don’t blow up at people—it scares them.
Other ways to say: Yell, lose temper
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of an explosion.
Usage: Used when someone loses control and gets very angry.
16. Get in someone’s face
Meaning: To act mean or challenge someone closely.
Example Sentence:
• The bully got in his face during gym.
• Don’t get in people’s faces to scare them.
Other ways to say: Challenge, confront
Fun Fact/Origin: Means being right in front of someone to scare them.
Usage: Used when someone tries to scare by standing too close.
17. Push someone’s buttons
Meaning: To say things on purpose to make someone upset.
Example Sentence:
• She knew what to say to push his buttons.
• Bullies push buttons to get a reaction.
Other ways to say: Tease, get on someone’s nerves
Fun Fact/Origin: Like pressing a button to start a machine, some people press “emotional buttons.”
Usage: Used when someone tries to upset another person on purpose.
18. Run someone down
Meaning: To say bad things about someone.
Example Sentence:
• He always runs people down to look cool.
• Don’t run others down—it’s mean.
Other ways to say: Insult, speak badly of
Fun Fact/Origin: It means to wear someone out by saying bad things.
Usage: Used when someone speaks badly about someone often.
19. Mean streak
Meaning: A habit of being unkind or rude.
Example Sentence:
• That kid has a mean streak when he gets mad.
• She’s nice sometimes but has a mean streak.
Other ways to say: Bad side, rude nature
Fun Fact/Origin: “Streak” means a part of you, so a mean streak means a part that acts mean.
Usage: Used when someone shows a regular pattern of meanness.
20. Give someone the cold shoulder
Meaning: To ignore someone on purpose.
Example Sentence:
• The bully gave her the cold shoulder after the fight.
• Don’t give people the cold shoulder just because you’re mad.
Other ways to say: Ignore, freeze out
Fun Fact/Origin: Long ago, giving a “cold shoulder” was a sign of turning away.
Usage: Used when someone is being mean by ignoring others.
21. Breathe down someone’s neck
Meaning: To follow or watch someone too closely.
Example Sentence:
• The bully kept breathing down his neck during the test.
• It’s hard to work when someone breathes down your neck.
Other ways to say: Hover, crowd
Fun Fact/Origin: Describes how close someone is when they stand right behind you.
Usage: Used when someone is too close and makes others nervous.
22. Go after someone
Meaning: To target someone again and again.
Example Sentence:
• The bully kept going after the same kid.
• Don’t go after people just because they’re quiet.
Other ways to say: Pick on, attack
Fun Fact/Origin: “Go after” means to chase or follow.
Usage: Used when someone keeps bothering the same person.
23. Keep someone in line
Meaning: To make someone behave, often with fear.
Example Sentence:
• He keeps everyone in line by scaring them.
• Some people try to keep others in line with threats.
Other ways to say: Control, boss around
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from marching in a straight line.
Usage: Used when someone uses fear to control others.
24. Make someone feel small
Meaning: To make someone feel unimportant or dumb.
Example Sentence:
• The bully made her feel small with his words.
• Don’t make others feel small to feel big.
Other ways to say: Put down, insult
Fun Fact/Origin: “Small” means weak or less important here.
Usage: Used when someone makes others feel bad about themselves.
25. Act like a big shot
Meaning: To act more important than others.
Example Sentence:
• He acts like a big shot and bosses everyone around.
• She walks around like a big shot just because she won.
Other ways to say: Show off, be full of yourself
Fun Fact/Origin: “Big shot” was once slang for someone who acted rich or powerful.
Usage: Used when someone acts better than everyone else.
26. Leave someone out
Meaning: To not include someone on purpose.
Example Sentence:
• They left him out of the game again.
• Don’t leave people out just because they’re new.
Other ways to say: Exclude, ignore
Fun Fact/Origin: It means to push someone outside the group.
Usage: Used when someone is not allowed to join in.
27. Spread rumors
Meaning: To tell lies or stories to hurt someone.
Example Sentence:
• She spread rumors to make people hate him.
• Bullies often spread rumors behind people’s backs.
Other ways to say: Gossip, lie
Fun Fact/Origin: “Rumor” means news that may not be true.
Usage: Used when false stories are used to hurt someone.
28. Look down on
Meaning: To think you’re better than someone else.
Example Sentence:
• He looked down on kids who didn’t play sports.
• Don’t look down on people who are different.
Other ways to say: Judge, act better than
Fun Fact/Origin: “Look down” means seeing someone as lower than you.
Usage: Used when someone thinks others are not as good as them.
29. Gang up on
Meaning: A group joins to bully or tease one person.
Example Sentence:
• The boys ganged up on the new kid.
• It’s unfair to gang up on someone just for being quiet.
Other ways to say: Team up against, group bully
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from gangs or groups working together.
Usage: Used when more than one person bullies someone at once.
30. Cross the line
Meaning: To go too far and act in a hurtful way.
Example Sentence:
• Making jokes is fine, but he crossed the line.
• You cross the line when you hurt others on purpose.
Other ways to say: Go too far, act wrong
Fun Fact/Origin: A “line” means the limit of what’s okay.
Usage: Used when someone is too mean or hurtful.
31. Take it out on someone
Meaning: To treat someone badly because you’re upset.
Example Sentence:
• He failed the test and took it out on his friend.
• Don’t take your anger out on others.
Other ways to say: Blame, lash out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of removing your bad mood on someone else.
Usage: Used when someone gets mad at others for something else.
32. Bully with words
Meaning: To use hurtful language to make someone feel bad.
Example Sentence:
• Some kids bully with words, not fists.
• Bullies with words still cause pain.
Other ways to say: Tease, insult
Fun Fact/Origin: Shows that bullying doesn’t have to be physical.
Usage: Used when someone uses speech to hurt others.
33. Put words in someone’s mouth
Meaning: To say someone said something they didn’t.
Example Sentence:
• She put words in my mouth to get me in trouble.
• Don’t put words in his mouth—he didn’t say that.
Other ways to say: Lie, twist the truth
Fun Fact/Origin: It means making it sound like someone said something they didn’t.
Usage: Used when someone makes up things to get another person in trouble.
Quiz: Idioms About Bullying
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “pick on someone” mean?
A) Help someone with homework
B) Be nice to someone new
C) Treat someone badly again and again
2. If someone “throws their weight around,” what are they doing?
A) Lifting weights
B) Using their power to bully others
C) Playing sports with friends
3. “Put someone down” means to:
A) Say mean things to make them feel small
B) Give them a hug
C) Help them stand up
4. What does it mean when someone “gets in your face”?
A) Offers you a snack
B) Ignores you
C) Stands too close and acts mean
5. If someone “gives you a hard time,” they are:
A) Giving you a prize
B) Being mean or teasing
C) Helping you study
6. What does “kick someone when they’re down” mean?
A) Help someone get up
B) Be extra mean when they are already sad
C) Walk away quietly
7. When someone “calls the shots,” they are:
A) Letting others choose
B) Giving orders and controlling things
C) Playing a video game
8. What does “run someone down” mean?
A) Say bad things about them
B) Race them on the playground
C) Give them a ride home
9. If a group “gangs up on” someone, what are they doing?
A) Sharing lunch with them
B) Taking turns playing tag
C) Bullying them as a group
10. What does “talk down to” someone mean?
A) Whisper to them
B) Speak like they aren’t smart
C) Teach them new words
11. When someone “acts like a big shot,” they are:
A) Acting like they’re better than others
B) Helping their friends
C) Playing basketball
12. What does “breathe down your neck” mean?
A) Someone is standing very close and watching
B) You’re cold and need a scarf
C) Someone is giving you space
13. If someone “spreads rumors,” what are they doing?
A) Telling the truth
B) Sharing snacks
C) Telling lies to hurt others
14. “Push someone’s buttons” means to:
A) Give them a remote
B) Do or say things to upset them
C) Help them with tech problems
15. What does it mean to “cross the line”?
A) Finish a race
B) Go too far and act hurtfully
C) Help others win
Answer Key
- C – Treat someone badly again and again
- B – Using their power to bully others
- A – Say mean things to make them feel small
- C – Stands too close and acts mean
- B – Being mean or teasing
- B – Be extra mean when they are already sad
- B – Giving orders and controlling things
- A – Say bad things about them
- C – Bullying them as a group
- B – Speak like they aren’t smart
- A – Acting like they’re better than others
- A – Someone is standing very close and watching
- C – Telling lies to hurt others
- B – Do or say things to upset them
- B – Go too far and act hurtfully
Wrapping Up
Bullying hurts people in many ways—through actions, words, or even being left out. Idioms can help us talk about these things more clearly. They show how people act or feel when bullying happens. Learning these phrases helps us notice when something is wrong and find better ways to act.
By using kind words and standing up for others, we can stop bullying. Words are powerful, so let’s use them to support each other instead of hurt. Next time you hear one of these idioms, think about how you can choose kindness instead.
