jeer

1 of 2

verb

jeered; jeering; jeers

intransitive verb

: to speak or cry out with derision or mockery
a jeering mob

transitive verb

: to deride with mocking and insulting remarks or sounds : taunt
was jeered by the crowd when he tried to speak
jeerer noun
jeeringly adverb

jeer

2 of 2

noun

: a mocking and insulting remark or sound : taunt
the jeers of the crowd
Choose the Right Synonym for jeer

scoff, jeer, gibe, fleer, sneer, flout mean to show one's contempt in derision or mockery.

scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision.

scoffed at their concerns

jeer suggests a coarser more undiscriminating derision.

the crowd jeered at the prisoners

gibe implies taunting either good-naturedly or in sarcastic derision.

hooted and gibed at the umpire

fleer suggests grinning or grimacing derisively.

the saucy jackanapes fleered at my credulity

sneer stresses insulting by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice.

sneered at anything romantic

flout stresses contempt shown by refusal to heed.

flouted the conventions of polite society

Examples of jeer in a Sentence

Verb He tried to ignore the jeering crowd. The crowd jeered him when he struck out. The prisoner was jeered by an angry mob. Noun ignored the jeers of the other team's fans and just focused on making her free throw shot
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Earlier that day, in court, Troxell’s lawyer and Yandell taunted and jeered at each other outside the presence of the judge and jury, according to a court transcript. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 In literature, anyway, the lyrical suggests a wave of praise and celebration, whereas the satirical indicates particles of jeering condemnation. Benjamin Kunkel, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 His classmates jeer, his father frets, but his grandmother approves. James Poniewozik, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 In the postgame trophy presentation amid fireworks, remarks by Inter Miami co-owner owner David Beckham were drowned out in jeering whistles. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024 Activists packed a council hearing where lawmakers debated the measure last month, at times jeering the member who put it forward. Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 When a player breaks off a long run or makes a big catch, everyone is on the edge of their seat, cheering — or jeering. Aj Willingham, CNN, 8 Feb. 2024 Hamas circulated videos that showed everyday Gazans jeering at, beating, and throwing rocks at the captive children, women, and elderly. David Harsanyi, National Review, 25 Jan. 2024 He largely has been cheered at home and jeered throughout road games. Cliff Brunt, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
Noun
When Walter Hunter came to the microphone, he was berated by jeers. Gerard Albert, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 The additional trophy presentation, fireworks and speech by club co-owner David Beckham were engulfed in whistles and jeers in a rather awkward end to the trip. Andrew McNicol, CNN, 4 Feb. 2024 Xavi’s team arrives at this year’s tournament under pressure after a series of lackluster performances that recently drew jeers from its home fans. Tales Azzoni, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024 Unlike the jeer directed at President Johnson, the culprit is frustratingly nebulous. Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Miami beat Honk Kong XI 4-1, but the victory was marred by jeers from the crowd because Messi did not play. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2024 There were some jeers during and after the match toward Benítez, who is in the first year of a three-year contract with Celta. Tales Azzoni, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2024 In all, Swift has attended 11 games since September 2023, and with each appearance in the crowd, increasingly drawn what seems like as many cheers and jeers as the men on the field. Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 27 Jan. 2024 Koy’s hosting has drawn jeers online as jokes toward Taylor Swift and the Barbie movie failed to garner many laughs. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jeer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1561, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jeer was in 1561

Dictionary Entries Near jeer

Cite this Entry

“Jeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

jeer

verb
ˈji(ə)r
: to laugh at or criticize someone in a loud and angry way
jeer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on jeer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!