JERK Synonyms: 199 Similar and Opposite Words

jerk 1 of 2

noun

ˈjərk

Definition of jerk

as in bastard

a person whose behavior is offensive to others his constant rudeness and insensitivity made everyone think he was a real jerk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tug

the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force guided the rowboat with a jerk of the rope

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jerk

2 of 2

verb

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

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as in to twitch

to make jerky or restless movements you've got to quit jerking, or the barber will nick you by accident

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to shake

to make a series of small irregular or violent movements the car jerked with every shift of the gear

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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 jerk

Noun

The desire to make fresh New York rap that isn’t indebted to drill, or chasing broader Gen-Z hip-hop trends such as jerk and rage rap, sometimes leads to experiments that don’t land anywhere. — Lei Takanashi, Pitchfork, 27 July 2026 Their chicken cheesesteak comes with a choice of honey garlic chicken, lemon pepper chicken or jerk chicken. — Justin Brown, AJC.com, 26 July 2026

Verb

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also advises against twisting or jerking the tick. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 July 2026 Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for jerk

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk

Noun

But much of the program dispensed with speed to explore the other skills of the dogs — and their owners.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Pets are welcome—two dogs per room, no weight limit, $100 each—so even your furry friends can enjoy the mountain air.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of dog

Noun

The games consisted of various team activities, including tug of war, dodgeball, kickball, as well as individual endurance tests and an obstacle course.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
The perfect dog needed to love balls or tug toys, be neurotic and extremely obsessive.

— Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of tug

Verb

In a desperate attempt to avoid getting their fingers caught in the cookie jar, there is a pell-mell sprint toward finding a watermark removal app that can yank out the digital watermarks.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
For months, many at City Hall had expected Raman to make a stink if she was yanked from her post, transforming herself into a martyr.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of yank

Verb

First, Murdock recognized the Falcons setting up a screen and then shook off a block attempt by the pulling center and dropped running back Tyler Goodson for no gain.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
In quiet spaces, cues on whether the ground is shaking are distorted by our expectations.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of shake

Noun

There’s deeply brutal local lore, endless cornfields and teenagers trying to escape a killer clown.

— Alaina Urquhart, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026
An Illinois teen has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly committing a deadly stabbing attack while dressed in a clown outfit.

— Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of clown

Noun

But the pull is strong, because one aspect of the long walk has not changed since 1990—that beautiful simplicity, which remains as essential to the experience as ever.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Layden says her career change stemmed from a pull toward nursing as well as a push away from the volatility and outdated norms of the corporate world.

— Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of pull

Verb

Maresca, though, does not appear to have much taste for the Premier League’s lurch towards balls into the box.

— Sam Lee, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
The United States, which had been lurching toward entry in the Second World War, was suddenly and inescapably thrust into global conflict.

— Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026