as in yammering
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1
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
you don't have to jaw me to death just because I bite my nails
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chatting
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
just a group of girls sitting around the locker room and jawing about the usual stuff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jawing
Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
The two players had been going at each other throughout the game, with multiple videos capturing the two jawing at each other.
—Matt Schubert, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Later came the jawing, with Kelsey Plum, with Natasha Cloud.
—Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
There was some punching, a ton of pushing and shoving and a lot of jawing, too, as the scrum spread across the grass.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
There was some pushing and shoving and a lot of jawing, and officials threw six flags as the chaos ensued.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, there was an undercurrent of malevolence coming from the Sabres’ Mason Geertsen (6-foot-5, 231 pounds), who got into a couple of jawing matches with 6-foot-7, 255-pound Nikita Zadorov, but nothing came of it.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
Despite some discouraging downward trends, all the prefatory jawing could go a long way toward siphoning off a fair number of viewers who might otherwise be locked in on the NFL.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025
All of the jawing between the two teams resulted in Jimmy and Jey challenging Reed and Breakker to a tag team match for Wrestlepalooza.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Aaron Heisen, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
Minutes later, Wilson and Crinon were jawing at one another near the French net.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 17 Feb. 2026
Minutes later, Wilson and Crinon were jawing near France’s net.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Embiid grabbed nine rebounds, made four 3-pointers and was 11 of 13 on free throws, all while jawing for much of the game with Suns forward Dillon Brooks.
—CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
After jawing with members of McDonnell’s security detail, Reedy got into a heated exchange with Alan Hamilton, a deputy chief who runs the detective bureau.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
But Woolen persisted and walked back toward the Los Angeles sideline, still jawing in that direction.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Green defended Towns on many of those possessions, and the two were seen jawing with one another after the Warriors handed the Knicks their seventh loss in their past nine games at the Chase Center on Thursday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
Allen also caught attention for his multiple back-and-forth battles with Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward, and the two were seen jawing at one another several times throughout the game.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Noun
Another clip showed Brown jawing toward Sirianni and being held back by his teammates.
—Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
The two players had been going at each other throughout the game, with multiple videos capturing the two jawing at each other.
—Matt Schubert, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Later came the jawing, with Kelsey Plum, with Natasha Cloud.
—Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
There was some punching, a ton of pushing and shoving and a lot of jawing, too, as the scrum spread across the grass.
—Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
There was some pushing and shoving and a lot of jawing, and officials threw six flags as the chaos ensued.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, there was an undercurrent of malevolence coming from the Sabres’ Mason Geertsen (6-foot-5, 231 pounds), who got into a couple of jawing matches with 6-foot-7, 255-pound Nikita Zadorov, but nothing came of it.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
Despite some discouraging downward trends, all the prefatory jawing could go a long way toward siphoning off a fair number of viewers who might otherwise be locked in on the NFL.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025
All of the jawing between the two teams resulted in Jimmy and Jey challenging Reed and Breakker to a tag team match for Wrestlepalooza.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Baker-Mazara dribbled into consecutive 3-point shots, jawing with the UCLA student section while running back on defense.
—Aaron Heisen, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
Minutes later, Wilson and Crinon were jawing at one another near the French net.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 17 Feb. 2026
Minutes later, Wilson and Crinon were jawing near France’s net.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Embiid grabbed nine rebounds, made four 3-pointers and was 11 of 13 on free throws, all while jawing for much of the game with Suns forward Dillon Brooks.
—CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
After jawing with members of McDonnell’s security detail, Reedy got into a heated exchange with Alan Hamilton, a deputy chief who runs the detective bureau.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
But Woolen persisted and walked back toward the Los Angeles sideline, still jawing in that direction.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Green defended Towns on many of those possessions, and the two were seen jawing with one another after the Warriors handed the Knicks their seventh loss in their past nine games at the Chase Center on Thursday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2026
Allen also caught attention for his multiple back-and-forth battles with Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward, and the two were seen jawing at one another several times throughout the game.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jawing
Noun
-
Thomas, for all his proprietary yammering about his young wards, turns out to have fatally underestimated them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
-
But ultimately, it's created a lot of yammering and once everyone went to video and once old school mainstream show business started to collapse in on itself, people were really able through bubbles and tribalization, able to build their own show business empires.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Porter was initially viewed as having a potential edge in the race, but her prospects dimmed after videos emerged in October of the UC Irvine law professor scolding a reporter and swearing at an aide.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Crucially, the film avoids the trap of scolding younger generations or romanticizing the past.—
Beandrea July,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Soon Emanuel was talking to Brian Grazer, and Bill Maher proved to be one of the more gregarious guests, chatting with a few excited art collectors.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Jeannot and Deslauriers were seen chatting at the red line during pre-game warmups.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That includes lecturing, building curriculum, pursuing research and speaking about university policy.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Katie da Cunha Lewin is a writer based in London, currently lecturing in 20th and 21st-century literature at Coventry University.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate GOP is not united on forcing Democrats to commit to a talking filibuster to pass the voter ID bill.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Verini sits in on Friedmann’s trial, and explores his possible motives, talking to his friends and family members.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Rumors and chatter fly around Indianapolis like a wildfire, and the nuances of the negotiation between Aubrey’s representation and the Cowboys were the latest victim.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Mar. 2026
-
These days, the chatter is more about the precarity of life in the United States.—
Lavender Au,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Still, don’t discount the power of comforting or reprimanding statements, because both are necessary in their own ways.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Harnessing the camp of countless Drag Race acting challenges that came before her, Jujubee films a close-up reaction to a group of rowdy passengers reprimanding her, escalating the moment until her face is full-on twitching before a physical confrontation.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
House Bill 1200 would require a person to pass a skills exam in English to drive a commercial vehicle and demonstrate proficiency in the language, including while conversing with the general public.—
Kaitlin Lange,
IndyStar,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Reading a book — yes, a real book with pages, gotten from a library or a store, not a Kindle; conversing, face-to-face, with a friend; taking a walk in a park or in the country?—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jawing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jawing. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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