Meaning & use
to badger
Last updated
“to badger” is a form of “badger”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
to keep asking someone again and again in an annoying way until they agree or answer.
Grammar: Takes a person as object: badger someone. Often followed by 'with' (questions) or 'for' (something wanted).
Patterns
- badger someone for something
- badger someone with something
- badger someone into doing something
- badger someone to do something
The children badgered their father for ice cream all afternoon.
Reporters badgered the minister with questions about the budget.
Stop badgering me — I'll give you an answer tomorrow.
verbtransitive
to pressure someone so persistently that they finally do what you want.
Grammar: Usually in the pattern badger someone into doing something, where the -ing form names the result.
Patterns
- badger someone into doing something
They badgered him into joining the committee.
She badgered the manager into giving her a refund.
Word forms
| third person singular | badgers |
|---|---|
| past tense | badgered |
| past participle | badgered |
| -ing form | badgering |
Common combinations
- badger someone for answers
- The public badgered the company for answers.
- badger someone with questions
- He badgered the guide with questions about the ruins.
- badger someone into doing something
- They badgered her into singing at the party.
- badger someone constantly
- Fans badgered him constantly for autographs.
- badger someone about something
- My aunt badgered me about my exam results.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pester
- Very close, but it suggests repeated small annoyances rather than strong pressure to agree.
- nag
- Often used for someone you live with and complaints about chores; it can be transitive or intransitive, unlike 'badger'.
- harass
- Stronger and more serious, suggesting hostile or unlawful pressure, and it is used in legal contexts.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: to badger or to bother? to badger or to budge?
to badger vs to bother
'Bother' means to disturb or annoy in general; 'badger' means to keep asking until someone gives in.
to badger vs to budge
'Budge' means to move slightly or change position, and it does not involve asking anyone.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses 'badger' correctly.
Choose one answer.
'Badger' takes a person as its direct object and often the pattern 'into doing something'. 'Badgered to their mother' wrongly adds 'to' before the object, and 'to bought' uses the wrong verb form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to badger”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.