1
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
his constant rudeness and insensitivity made everyone think he was a real jerk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
1
as in to yank
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
I jerked to one side to avoid getting hit jerked the leash to get the dog's attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to twitch
to make jerky or restless movements
you've got to quit jerking, or the barber will nick you by accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the car jerked with every shift of the gear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of jerk
Jason Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Hethington didn’t want to cannibalize his menu with the dish, instead compromising with a jerk lamb shank, and a whole Chinese Trini chicken, an homage to the popular takeout food in Trinidad.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
John jerked Maggie back by the elbow and stopped her from stepping into the street.
—Literary Hub, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Noun
Search the internet and there are coaches and players spotted sniffing the ammonia inhalants before a game, with their instant reactions — a noticeable head jerk or contorted face — going viral.
—Jason Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Hethington didn’t want to cannibalize his menu with the dish, instead compromising with a jerk lamb shank, and a whole Chinese Trini chicken, an homage to the popular takeout food in Trinidad.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Verb
During their first night together, just for an instant, Nikki appears to glitch, jerking back mid-kiss and looking at him with blind panic instead of undying affection.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
John jerked Maggie back by the elbow and stopped her from stepping into the street.
—Literary Hub, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk
Noun
-
With the myth of Medea as a burning thematic wire, and through the metaphor of bloody dog fights, the novel burns with the rage and despair of those who remain unseen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Stop being a female dog (in slow motion).—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
However, instead of the pilot starting the engines during pushback and the tug disconnecting afterward, TaxiBot remains attached to the nose gear via a specialized pivoting clamping platform.—
David Szondy
June 07,
New Atlas,
7 June 2026
-
Its tech is being used to power the world’s first electric tugs that are about to go into service at the Port of Long Beach, under a deal worth $160 million announced in late 2025.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The Venice Biennale opened its most chaotic and contested edition in recent memory on May 9, with the prestigious Golden Lion yanked from contention after the jury quit in protest of Israel’s and Russia’s participation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
Investors in Blackstone’s flagship private credit fund sought to yank 10% of their money this quarter, showing that the jitters engulfing the industry may be deepening.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The Hormuz crisis will not end when oil markets stop twitching.—
John W.H. Denton AO,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
The Buena Vista Social Club features feet-twitching music and Wolf says that, obviously, people want to get up and dance but that’s just not allowed.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
This majestic sequence delivers a lifetime’s outpouring of love’s inadequacies and frustrations, of grief and regret, of gratitude along with candid acceptance of loss, and of self-questioning that never shakes the foundations of the family—her ferocious commitment to the children.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
-
As his lead attorney, Howard Srebnick, was minutes into his opening statements, Pino began crying, shaking and breathing heavily.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The final Scary Movie trailer opens with a fittingly grotesque send-up of Terrifier, the ultra-bloody, low-budget clown slasher that's built a cult following.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
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What appears to be a Unitree G1 humanoid robot wearing a blue clown wig can be seen confidently executing a roundhouse kick — squarely in the stomach of a young child in the audience, causing the kid to double over in pain.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
There is a deep, innate pull that brings New Englanders home.—
Todd Plummer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
Mini dresses make my tiny legs look miles long, and this pull-on style from Missactiver is no exception.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Long road trips, cruises, airplane takeoffs, and landings—all make my stomach lurch.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2026
-
In a December 2024 crash, a bus lurched onto a sidewalk outside Curley K-8 School in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood.—
Willoughby Mariano,
ProPublica,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerk. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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