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to ride

to ride

62 7.5
To annoy someone by criticizing them again and again
  • verb
  • /raɪd/
  • Offensive
translation icon : acosar
  • The coach is always riding the players during practice to make sure they improve.

Examples

  • The trustees of the university are riding my ass... about getting some color up at Harvard.

  • Okay, Mom, stop riding me.

  • We're not used to having a man in the house so I guess we ride him pretty hard.

  • Aw, Taylor, quit riding him.

  • You've just been riding our coattails ever since you got here.

  • My friends keep riding me about submitting my project on time, but I feel like I'm doing my best.

  • He wanted to enjoy his movie, but his brother wouldn't stop riding him about his grades.

Synonyms

to harass
vsto ride
302 4.0

Annoy someone again and again to make them feel worried or uncomfortable

is more about persistent nagging or critical remarks
to tease
vsto ride
245 1.9

To make fun of someone in a way that annoys them

is more about repeated critical remarks rather than light teasing
to taunt
vsto ride
  • Offensive
93 5.8

To mock someone again and again to make them angry or upset

aims more at ongoing critical remarks rather than pure provocation
to bait
vsto ride
35 6.8

To tease someone to make them angry or upset

is similar but stresses repeated critical remarks rather than provocation
to pester
vsto ride
34 3.2

To annoy someone by asking for things again and again

is similar but emphasizes critical remarks rather than requests
to nag
vsto ride
  • Informal
8 2.6

To keep criticizing or telling someone to do things in an annoying way

focuses more on persistent teasing or sharp criticism rather than reminders
to harangue
vsto ride
7 8.9

To speak angrily to someone for a long time

is usually shorter repeated criticism rather than a long speech
to razz
vsto ride
  • Informal
5 9.1

To tease someone in a playful or annoying way

is harsher and often intends to criticize rather than joke
to rally
vsto ride
  • UK
5 5.2

To tease someone repeatedly in a friendly way

is less friendly and more repeatedly critical or nagging
to twit
vsto ride
  • Offensive
4 9.8

To tease someone again and again with small mean remarks

is broader, covering general nagging and more severe criticism
to harry
vsto ride
3 7.6

To bother someone again and again so they feel upset or tired

is similar but often feels more like nagging rather than pursuit
to rag
vsto ride
  • Informal
1 7.2

To tease someone repeatedly, either playfully or cruelly

is narrower, stressing ongoing nagging and criticism rather than playful torment
to tantalize
vsto ride
1 8.2

To tease someone with repeated mean or mocking remarks

overlaps but usually focuses more on nagging than clever cutting remarks
to bullyrag
vsto ride
  • Offensive
9.9

To frighten or shout at someone to make them do what you want

is less about threats and more about repeated petty criticism
to ballyrag
vsto ride
  • Archaic
9.9

Make someone feel bad by bossing or bullying them

covers similar repeated criticism but without heavy bullying tone
to chevy
vsto ride
  • Archaic
9.9

To annoy or chase someone again and again

focuses more on verbal nagging and critical remarks rather than chasing
to break someone's chops
vsto ride
  • Archaic
8.7

To tease or nag someone in a way that annoys them

is more often serious criticism rather than playful teasing
to vituperate
vsto ride
  • Offensive
9.9

To criticize someone angrily using harsh words

shares harshness but is more about ongoing petty criticism over time

Antonyms

1.0

Give help to a person or idea

161 1.0

Words or actions that show admiration for someone

Idioms

To travel long distances by train in a relaxed or adventurous way

Leave a situation happily to begin a new life

To use a current trend or chance while it lasts to get advantage

2 7.5

To stay on the sidelines and not play in a game

2 9.5

Sit on the bench and not play during a sports game

Treat people badly and ignore their feelings or rights

To be extremely tired and worn after hard work or rough treatment

9.9

To be publicly punished or laughed at in a way that shames you

Use another person's success to get benefits without much effort

7.4

To rely on good luck instead of working for success

To call someone not smart to insult them

To gain from a sudden rise in public interest

To accept and adapt to difficult times without giving up

Feel and act confident

ticket to ride
  • Informal
6.9

A way to gain success or better opportunities

Phrasal Verbs

To go for a short drive to have fun and relax

24 3.9

To leave a place by riding a horse, bike, or motorcycle

20 5.3

To stay safe through a difficult or dangerous time

14 3.2

To travel in someone else's car as a passenger

11 2.7

To go away while on a horse, bike, or motorcycle

to ride high
  • Informal
11 5.9

To be very successful and confident for a time

9 5.1

Clothing that moves up on the body and feels uncomfortable

To sit on a horse and guide it as it moves

to ride herd on
  • Informal
1 8.9

Keep a close watch on people and their work

1 8.8

To sit on a horse and guide a group of cows

Treat other people's feelings, rights, or opinions as not important and ignore them rudely

to thumb a ride
  • Archaic
1 8.2

To get a free ride from a passing car by standing by the road and showing your thumb

to ride bitch
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To sit behind the driver on a motorcycle

Take someone somewhere in your car to help them

To accept an experience without knowing what will happen

Allow a situation to continue without changing it

Allow a project to continue without making changes

To use past success to help you now

to ride luck
  • Informal
7.3

To take a risk and hope things go well

To drive very closely behind another car in a dangerous way

To travel on a bicycle with one person sitting behind another

Compounds

free ride
  • Informal
37 4.2

A benefit you get without paying or working

16 1.3

A short trip on a boat to see places or for fun

15 3.6

An exciting, fast attraction at an amusement park like a roller coaster

13 3.4

A scholarship that pays all college costs, including tuition, fees, room, and meals

1 3.0

A ride in a wagon filled with hay for fun on a farm

An experience with many sudden ups and downs in feelings or events

A trip in a large blimp that carries people to look at the land below

backie ride
  • Australian
9.6

A ride sitting behind someone on a bicycle or motorbike

9.9

A wild, dangerous ride like when a whale pulls a small boat very fast

How Harassing

to torment
  • NSFW
107 7.2
to ride
  • Offensive
62 7.5
to nag
  • Informal
8 2.6
to pester
34 3.2
to tease
245 1.9

Surface Forms

ride infinitive
riding present participle
rides third person singular
rode past
ridden past participle

Etymology

A helpful way to remember ride meaning to harass is to imagine someone staying on another person's back like a rider on a horse; this gives the sense of pressuring or nagging. So to ride someone is to bother them again and again.