as in taunting
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
the players were heckled by disappointed fans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heckling
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 22 Jan. 2026
Vice President Vance appeared on FOX News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle hours after the heckling incident, telling the host about visiting with the national guardsmen and discussing recent changes to the city, while briefly mentioning the protesters.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
Many of the attendees disrupted Percival’s speech, heckling him with jeers and boos.
—Las Vegas Review-Journal, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
Some of the sixth graders began heckling.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Doncic stood in the corner of the court and roared at the Toyota Center crowd, responding to a heckling fan who inspired an impassioned effort from the Lakers star in a 40-point effort.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Electronics aside, yelling, heckling and the use of profanity are also direct violations of gallery etiquette and could result in removal from the event.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
The royal family was met with heckling protesters in London this week for their largest public gathering since former Prince Andrew’s arrest last month.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Jeff Probst heckling contestants during challenges.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
The project drew heckling from some residents and hours of debate before passing Feb 19.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Reuters reported that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who hosted the dinner of some 200 people as co-chair of the World Economic Forum, ended the dinner after the heckling incident — before dessert was served.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 22 Jan. 2026
Vice President Vance appeared on FOX News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle hours after the heckling incident, telling the host about visiting with the national guardsmen and discussing recent changes to the city, while briefly mentioning the protesters.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
Many of the attendees disrupted Percival’s speech, heckling him with jeers and boos.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
Many of the attendees disrupted Percival’s speech, heckling him with jeers and boos.
—Las Vegas Review-Journal, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
Some of the sixth graders began heckling.
—Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Doncic stood in the corner of the court and roared at the Toyota Center crowd, responding to a heckling fan who inspired an impassioned effort from the Lakers star in a 40-point effort.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Electronics aside, yelling, heckling and the use of profanity are also direct violations of gallery etiquette and could result in removal from the event.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
The royal family was met with heckling protesters in London this week for their largest public gathering since former Prince Andrew’s arrest last month.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Jeff Probst heckling contestants during challenges.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
The project drew heckling from some residents and hours of debate before passing Feb 19.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heckling
Adjective
-
To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The first episode did capture fans taunting Williams on the road for his past, as well as a clip of him in front of a courthouse three years ago.—
Joe Davidson
May 7,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
-
For a brief moment, there was a new 48-hour countdown taunting us on Taylor Swift’s website.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Educators were fired for making insensitive comments about him on their personal social-media accounts; a firefighter in Toledo lost his job for posting a derisive eulogy on Facebook; various airline employees were suspended for disparaging Kirk online.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But this time, American allies have balked at Trump’s request to send warships to help transport oil through the strait, suggesting there is a limit to how far Europe will go to keep Trump onside in Ukraine and demonstrating the upshot of Trump’s derisive attitude toward alliances.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The conversation includes some light teasing about each other’s attachment styles — the intimate banter of close friends.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
On April 30, Beyoncé updated her website to feature a photo of Destiny’s Child alongside rock legend Stevie Nicks, teasing a potential collaboration.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Then, Metric’s peak came on 2009’s Fantasies, which paired needling electronics with thumping drum programming; both it and its follow-up, Synthetica, hit the top 10 on the Canadian albums chart and went platinum in Canada.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
4 May 2026
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For power users, this sort of thing can’t help but read as needling, even petty platform quirks.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heckling. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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