jerk

noun

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\ ˈjərk

Definition of jerk

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : an annoyingly stupid or foolish person was acting like a jerk

b : an unlikable person especially : one who is cruel, rude, or small-minded a selfish jerk

2 : a single quick motion of short duration a sudden jerk gave the handle a jerk

3a : jolting, bouncing, or thrusting motions

b : a tendency to produce spasmodic motions

4a : an involuntary spasmodic muscular movement due to reflex action

b jerks plural : involuntary twitchings due to nervous excitement

5 : the pushing of a weight from shoulder height to a position overhead : the second phase of the clean and jerk in weight lifting

jerk

verb (1)

jerked; jerking; jerks

Definition of jerk (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to give a quick suddenly arrested push, pull, or twist to jerk a rope

2 : to propel or move with or as if with a quick suddenly arrested motion jerked the door open

3 : to mix and serve (drinks, such as sodas) behind a soda fountain

intransitive verb

1 : to make a sudden spasmodic motion Her hand jerked up suddenly.

2 : to move in short abrupt motions or with frequent jolts

jerk

verb (2)

jerked; jerking; jerks

Definition of jerk (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

: to preserve (meat) in long sun-dried slices

Other Words from jerk Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about jerk

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Synonyms for jerk

Synonyms: Noun

bastard,
beast,
bleeder
[British],
blighter
[chiefly British],
boor,
bounder,
bugger,
buzzard,
cad,
chuff,
churl,
clown,
creep,
cretin,
crud
[slang],
crumb
[slang],
cur,
dirtbag
[slang],
dog,
fink,
heel,
hound,
joker,
louse,
lout,
pill,
rat,
rat fink,
reptile,
rotter,
schmuck
[slang],
scum,
scumbag
[slang],
scuzzball
[slang],
skunk,
sleaze,
sleazebag
[slang],
sleazeball
[slang],
slime,
slimeball
[slang],
slob,
snake,
so-and-so,
sod
[chiefly British],
stinkard,
stinker,
swine,
toad,
varmint,
vermin

Synonyms: Verb (1)

Examples of jerk in a Sentence

Noun That jerk can't do anything right. Most of the kids are nice, but some are jerks. The dead branch came loose after a few jerks. He felt the jerk of the line as a fish took the bait. The car started with a jerk.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun After the sharp plunge in March due to a knee-jerk reaction to the pandemic, the stock markets have soared to new highs on the back of foreign investors’ interest and hopes of a faster than expected economic recovery. — Prathamesh Mulye, Quartz India, "A new breed of social media influencers is simplifying stock markets for Indians," 22 Dec. 2020 For that reason, Miami takes No. 1 in the final Misery Index of the regular season, a weekly measurement of knee-jerk reactions based on what each fan base just watched. — Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Program-worst defensive performance vs. North Carolina exposes Miami as a fraud," 14 Dec. 2020 Avoid making impulsive decisions in mid-December, when your judgment may improve but a knee-jerk reaction could create negative consequences. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, "Horoscope for Nov. 24, 2020: Aries, spread good vibes; Sagittarius, you should reach your goals," 24 Nov. 2020 To avoid stifling the creation and growth of new Internet companies, lawmakers should limit new requirements to large companies and refrain from the knee-jerk reaction of revoking it all together. — Fortune, "How much reform does Big Tech really want?," 19 Nov. 2020 What won’t work, some former officials say, is a kind of knee-jerk reaction that focuses simply on reversing actions taken under President Trump while ignoring longstanding problems. — Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, "Under Biden, State Department needs to be rebuilt. But better.," 18 Nov. 2020 And that’s a pretty low bar to clear; try not to be a jerk. — Star Tribune, "Readers Write: The holidays, COVID spread, pandemic precautions, Line 3," 17 Nov. 2020 Free agency, trades and the draft all tend to provoke volatile, knee-jerk reactions. — Usa Today Sports, USA TODAY, "NFL Week 10 roundtable: Which offseason moves now look wisest of all?," 15 Nov. 2020 But those fierce convictions do not give us permission to villainize people of the opposing side or otherwise be a jerk. — Eugene Cho, Fortune, "How Christians should react to the 2020 election results," 12 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Young children tend to jerk their hands and might be accidentally nipped so parental supervision is advised. — Iris Katz, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Pet Wise: Just who is walking whom? Positive dog training methods," 15 Aug. 2020 Don’t flinch, jerk the trigger, or close your eyes. — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, "How to Troubleshoot Your Riflescope Zeroing Problems," 7 Aug. 2020 Try it again, but this time jerk the rod back violently. — Mark Hicks, Field & Stream, "How to Get Better Hooksets," 22 June 2020 But using a leash to jerk a puppy away from other people or dogs could risk creating negative reinforcements with those interactions. — Wes Siler, Outside Online, "How to Socialize a Puppy During a Pandemic," 11 Apr. 2020 If the driver allows the car to drift just a little too close to a lane marker, the system stabs a front brake and causes the car to jerk back into line. — Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, "We'd Like Our Nissan Altima More If It Were Quicker," 6 Feb. 2020 Adoption storylines are often relegated to minor tear-jerking arcs on family soaps like Parenthood and This Is Us, and mostly feature the complications after a child enters the new parents' lives. — Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Trying': TV Review," 30 Apr. 2020 In video of the arrest, Pantaleo can be seen wrapping one arm around Garner's shoulder and the other around his neck before jerking him back and pulling him to the ground. — Darran Simon, CNN, "A new NYPD commissioner will lead the nation's largest police force. Here is what he faces.," 4 Nov. 2019 Welcome to Negril, Jamaica, a still-sleepy beach village dotted with bare-bones roadside jerk chicken shacks, pristine diving coves, reggae music, and bohemian sensibility. — Kate Donnelly, Condé Nast Traveler, "An Insider's Guide to Negril, Jamaica's Low-Key Hideaway," 3 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jerk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.