Bullying isn’t an issue easily left behind upon adulthood. Bullies are frustratingly persistent throughout all stages of life. In fact, a 2021 survey conducted by Harris Poll found levels of adult bullying to be similar to bullying among adolescents, with 31% of Americans reporting that they’ve been bullied as adults.

If you’ve encountered an individual who regularly engages in negative behaviors (like insults, ridiculing jokes, threats or public shaming) with the intention of harming, intimidating, humiliating or oppressing others to gain personal power or confidence, then you’ve met an adult bully. Their behavior negatively impacts both their targets and bystanders. Adult bullying is sometimes more subtle than what you might see on the playground or social media, but victims and witnesses should not assume they’re overreacting to a bullying situation—if it feels wrong, it is wrong...