What is the primary characteristic of verbal bullying?

The primary characteristic of verbal bullying is the use of words to insult or demean someone. This form of bullying primarily relies on language as a weapon to cause emotional pain or distress to the victim. Verbal bullying can manifest in various ways, including name-calling, mocking, and spreading rumors, all aimed at belittling and degrading the target. This type of bullying can have profound effects on a person's self-esteem and mental health, often leading to long-term emotional scars.

In contrast, other forms of bullying involve different methods. Manipulation of social relationships typically relates to social bullying, which can include tactics like exclusion or gossip rather than direct verbal attacks. Using physical harm is characteristic of physical bullying, which involves actual bodily harm and is quite distinct from verbal abuse. Lastly, using technology to harass pertains to cyberbullying, which incorporates digital communication to achieve similar harmful effects, but does not fall under the realm of verbal bullying as it includes methods beyond spoken or written words. Thus, the defining feature of verbal bullying is its reliance on verbal communication to inflict harm.