# hound out

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hound-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to force someone to leave a job or a place by being very mean to them or constantly attacking them.

For teachers: to drive someone out of a position, organization, or location through persistent harassment, criticism, or social pressure.

## Examples

- The angry crowd tried to hound him out of town.
- After the scandal became public, the board of directors hounded her out of the company.
- The investigative journalist was hounded out of the country by a government that refused to tolerate any public dissent.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They hounded out him from the office." but "They hounded him out of the office." — when using a pronoun like 'him', it must come between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- usually used in the passive voice or with a clear object being forced away.
- Teaching tip: connect the verb to the behavior of a 'hound' (a hunting dog) to help students visualize the persistent, aggressive nature of the action.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.