heckling 1 of 2

heckling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of heckle

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 heckling
Adjective
There was also an August 2024 incident at Fenway when Duran hurled a homophobic slur at a heckling fan. Greg Dudek, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026 Charles Barkley was once spitting mad at a heckling fan, and his expectoration wound up splashing on an 8-year-old girl. Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 22 May 2026 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
On Tuesday night, Donalds thanked Fishback for conceding defeat, suggesting that months of the young debate league founder’s supporters heckling him at rallies were bygones. David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026 In this era of the manosphere, avoidable wars, and UFC heckling on the White House lawn, that feels healthy. Amrit Dhir, New York Daily News, 11 July 2026 At that very course, Rory McIlroy and other members of Team Europe were the subject of taunts and heckling that got in the way of the Ryder Cup this past summer. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026 By online standards, though, the wait to bring charges—just a few days—was agonizingly long, and Dhillon complained on X about MAGA supporters heckling her to move faster. Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026 Reaves shouted at heckling fans. Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 13 May 2026 Many of the attendees disrupted Percival’s speech, heckling him with jeers and boos. Editorial, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026 Some of the sixth graders began heckling. Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 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
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
  • Cunningham’s highlights are hard fouls, a few 3-pointers, taunting, serving as a ring girl at a UFC fight, her sense of humor, and now commentary that has a Fox flair.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Aug. 2026
  • His gruff mechanic Cooter Davenport is introduced as a hell-raising, uncouth wild man, constantly taunting the authorities and flouting convention.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • According to Elsas, the name began as a slight — a derisive label used by a Northern newspaper reporter to mock the poor Scots-Irish mill workers who lived in the neighborhood during a headline-grabbing labor strike.
    Brian Unger, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Adams was a font of derisive comedic inspiration for Barone during his tenure.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Verb
  • There was a few months of speculation that Grande and Álvarez had reunited, with Grande coyly teasing their coupledom.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2026
  • New series regular Da’Vinchi, whose character is the same rank, shared a photo from set on Thursday, August 20, teasing the casting.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Heckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heckling. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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