variants or jibe
Definition of gibenext

gibe

2 of 2

noun

variants or jibe

Synonym Chooser

How is the word gibe distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of gibe are fleer, flout, jeer, scoff, and sneer. While all these words mean "to show one's contempt in derision or mockery," gibe implies taunting either good-naturedly or in sarcastic derision.

hooted and gibed at the umpire

Where would fleer be a reasonable alternative to gibe?

The words fleer and gibe are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fleer suggests grinning or grimacing derisively.

the saucy jackanapes fleered at my credulity

When is it sensible to use flout instead of gibe?

In some situations, the words flout and gibe are roughly equivalent. However, flout stresses contempt shown by refusal to heed.

flouted the conventions of polite society

In what contexts can jeer take the place of gibe?

The synonyms jeer and gibe are sometimes interchangeable, but jeer suggests a coarser more undiscriminating derision.

the crowd jeered at the prisoners

When might scoff be a better fit than gibe?

While the synonyms scoff and gibe are close in meaning, scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision.

scoffed at their concerns

When could sneer be used to replace gibe?

Although the words sneer and gibe have much in common, 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 gibe
Verb
Back before season one started, Dale Washberg came into Hoot Owl Books and offered Lee a Jim Thompson quote to jibe with his preferred job title — truthstorian. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026 Such delineation would also jibe with Paramount — and its iconic arches — being steeped in movie history and a symbol of the golden era of cinema as the only major studio still located in Hollywood. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 These findings jibe with the results of statistical analyses carried out by economists at the Yale Budget Lab using data on individual occupations. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 And yet, many folks’ lived experience these days doesn’t jibe with the rosier picture the Fifth Floor presents. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Adamala’s team fiddled with their cellular brew, switching genes in and out and adjusting concentrations of various molecules, to get the crucial information-carrying and protein-making genetic systems to jibe. — Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 1 July 2026 Or that Penélope Cruz’s sultry chilliness would jibe with either her male counterparts or Wilde’s diary-of-a-mad-housewife interpretation of a brittle, eager-to-impress woman brimming with creative frustration. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026 The movie basically imports Superman’s moral code, which doesn’t really jibe in a story filled to the brim with cigar-chomping bounty hunters and outlaws. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026 The falseness of the medium, though, jibed with the falseness of most attempts, throughout American history, to make sense of this enormous, strange man. — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Noun
Just seconds later, in a separate incident, the Brazilian F50 was about to go into a standard jibe maneuver (turning the boat through the wind to change direction) but disintegrated in the blink of an eye. — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Mamdani hit back at Tuberville’s jibe, which falsely suggested that Mamdani or Muslims support terrorism. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2026 Carr’s jibe struck me as weirdly TV-centric, in a very Trumpian sense. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026 Leno later said he felt humiliated by Kimmel’s jibe. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025 The foolishness of the governor’s gibe was underscored by the progressive, staunchly anti-Trump Democratic mayor of San Jose. — U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025 This is clearly a jibe at the earlier problems of Ola’s scooters and their infamous unreliability. — New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2025 In an apparent jibe about Mangione's arrest, social media users shared what looked like a post from McDonald's rival Burger King, suggesting the latter restaurant chain would not have informed the police. — Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024 The gibe blew Quayle off the debate stage; then, just a few weeks later, Republicans won the White House in a landslide. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gibe
Verb
  • Cruz has ridiculed Talarico’s past comments on Christianity and immigration, saying the would be more fitting for Berkeley, California, than Texas.
    — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Reportedly, William is willing to speak to Harry because things have reached a point where they’re being ridiculed for the standoff.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Monica Bellucci’s sneer is a thing of wonder, so why have so few directors used it properly?
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The film’s sincerity — the quality critics praised most — was met with a sneer rather than a response.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • Critics mocked Zacharia’s performance during her first and last press conference on Tuesday, and ripped her for describing herself as an attorney, despite having never passed the bar exam.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Difference Between Names And Dynamics Richard Feynman recalled being mocked by another child for not knowing a bird’s name.
    — Pravir Malik, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Football coaches like Schembechler took pink as an insult in that era, when being compared to a girl in a macho sport was worse than any other taunt.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Former Braves infielder Orlando Arcia shouted that taunt in the visiting clubhouse after Phillies slugger Bryce Harper’s base-running mistake ended Game 2 of the 2023 National League Division Series.
    — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In the Premier League, leader Manchester City ignored jeers from Liverpool fans to seal a 3-0 statement win in its first game since the club was found guilty of a raft of financial breaches.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Cheers, jeers, and energetic call-and-response exchanges echoed through the hall as the audience, dressed in bright green, pink, and red, some wearing candidate T-shirts, listened.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Try to remember that your teen’s eyes were focused squarely on the $100 prize and so this is an issue of overlooking rather than one of insult.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Yet in a land where machismo still reigns, it’s considered a rather severe insult.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The main culprit this past weekend was an observational quip Gillis made about how women dress in the gym.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Beneath his commentary on trending topics and crowd interactions are anecdotes inspired by Brookzz’s family and his personal life, giving the debut a hint of intimacy and a glimpse into the man behind the charming grin and witty quips.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Christophe Hansen, the European Union's Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, denounced the attack as an affront on European food safety.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • As Haitians on both sides of the island took sides, Dominican authorities demanded an apology, nationalists denounced the statement as an affront to Dominican sovereignty, and Haiti’s foreign ministry distanced the government from it.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gibe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gibe. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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