jeer 1 of 2

as in snort
a vocal sound made to express scorn or disapproval ignored the jeers of the other team's fans and just focused on making her free throw shot

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jeer

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word jeer distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of jeer are fleer, flout, gibe, scoff, and sneer. While all these words mean "to show one's contempt in derision or mockery," jeer suggests a coarser more undiscriminating derision.

the crowd jeered at the prisoners

When could fleer be used to replace jeer?

In some situations, the words fleer and jeer are roughly equivalent. However, fleer suggests grinning or grimacing derisively.

the saucy jackanapes fleered at my credulity

In what contexts can flout take the place of jeer?

The words flout and jeer can be used in similar contexts, but flout stresses contempt shown by refusal to heed.

flouted the conventions of polite society

Where would gibe be a reasonable alternative to jeer?

While the synonyms gibe and jeer are close in meaning, gibe implies taunting either good-naturedly or in sarcastic derision.

hooted and gibed at the umpire

When can scoff be used instead of jeer?

While in some cases nearly identical to jeer, scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision.

scoffed at their concerns

When is it sensible to use sneer instead of jeer?

The words sneer and jeer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sneer stresses insulting by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice.

sneered at anything romantic

Examples of jeer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The pro-Belgian crowd quickly responded with jeers for the Liberty star. Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2024 Kavanagh kicked up a controversy in March after Attorney General Letitia James, whose office sued former President Trump for $350 million, received jeers and boos during a promotion ceremony before members of the audience started chanting the GOP candidate's name. Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 12 Aug. 2024
Verb
That a freshman senator and sharp-elbowed critic of long-standing party orthodoxy was given a hero’s welcome in Milwaukee, while the longest-serving Senate leader in history was jeered at, says something profound about the future of the GOP. Brittany Bernstein, National Review, 17 July 2024 Police and medics opened the door and worked to get the man through the crowd, who jeered and became more and more antagonistic, the video shows. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 9 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for jeer 

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.

Thesaurus Entries Near jeer

Cite this Entry

“Jeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jeer. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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