Did you know?
Taunt vs. Taut
Taunt and taut may easily be confused. The words are similar in spelling and pronunciation, though the resemblance does not extent to their syntax or meanings. Taut is an adjective that is most often used to refer to something that is pulled tight, like "a taut rope," or is bulging or filled to capacity, like "taut muscles." Taunt is a noun and a verb that refers to teasing or making fun of a person. That the two words sound similar creates confusion, and taunt, being the more common word, is sometimes substituted for taut. You can remember the difference between the two by remembering that tight and taut both lack the n of taunt.
Examples of taunt in a Sentence
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2025
News to Know Guardians apologize to Duran The Cleveland Guardians issued an apology to Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran after a fan taunted Duran yesterday.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 18 Apr. 2025
Here was a player who had without doubt suffered more abuse and more taunts and more hatred than any player in the history of the game.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Cite this Entry
“Taunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taunt. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share