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

Relevance

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jeer
Noun
More news to know now Boos and jeers over Trump's big tax bill filled a Nebraska town hall. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 May 2025 At the close of Shipman's speech, she was met with another chorus of boos and jeers. Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 20 May 2025
Verb
In the early days of the Falcon 9 rocket, some ULA employees would drive to where SpaceX was working on the first booster and jeer at their efforts. ArsTechnica, 5 May 2025 Within minutes of Trump taking to the lectern in front of Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) members of the opposition began booing and jeering the Republican. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jeer
Noun
  • Even so, some of Lucy’s pronouncements are so truly awful that a blunt snort of laughter is the only response.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 13 June 2025
  • Conclusion: The Crown is made for those who want the reliability of a Toyota SUV minus the snort and belch.
    Josh Max, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • Managers ran through rows of their peers and announced their area’s sales performance, ridiculing poor performers.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2025
  • Clinton was ridiculed for his obsession with infrastructure until the numbers proved him out: the canal transformed New York City into an economic powerhouse, and its population surged to more than two hundred thousand.
    Paige Williams, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • His voice—typically pitched between a bellow and a sneer—was instantly recognizable to the couple that night.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
  • In a movie climate where remakes tend to draw sneers of derision and claims that people have just gotten too lazy to invent anything new, Disney’s remakes of its own products are always a chief target.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Some right wingers will watch to mock the protesters or watch for signs of violence.
    Chris Morris, Fortune, 14 June 2025
  • She’s been lionized, condemned (even sometimes by the left), mocked, dismissed, revered, and occasionally rediscovered.
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025
Noun
  • But watching a group of roughnecks on a rig in grubby overalls moving huge, long steel pipes, Dugan's smile begins to fade to a smirk.
    Kirk Siegler, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Modern thinkers stopped using these concepts altogether except in quotation marks, with a wink, a smirk, and a glance backward toward the unscientific past.
    Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The performance led to unprecedented boos for Williams, questions over his comfort in New York, and his removal as the Yankees’ closer.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025
  • The crowd’s boo echoes as Connor McDavid’s face flashes on the massive screen.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • League sources stifle their snickers in public while privately marveling at the owner’s ceaseless stupidity. 3.
    Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
  • So he must be placed in the Apparition section, next to ghosts like John Barron, sharing a snicker with Ivana.
    Greg Marotta, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jeer. Accessed 21 Jun. 2025.

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!