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

From award-winning jerk pork wraps to classic rice and peas, every bite celebrates our heritage. — Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026 There was significant excitement over the first-look footage revealing perhaps the world’s biggest movie star transforming himself to become a portly, gray-haired jerk in an offbeat feature focusing on climate change. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Verb

Somewhere nearby, in a dark office, an eavesdropping oreja has just jerked to attention on his hard little chair. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026 Henry drove off and sped up to 45 mph before jerking the car. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jerk

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk

Noun

After contracting the plague, he was banished to a cave, where a dog brought him bread and healed his wounds by licking them.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Anyone seeking to adopt a dog or cat can fill out the adoption form on their website.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of dog

Noun

Saucy and sticky, the tender ribs tug impeccably off the bone.

— Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
The sci-fi horror film follows the seven-member crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo who, upon returning to Earth, intercept a strange transmission from a nearby moon.

— Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of tug

Noun

That’s not to jinx the master clown who’s currently doddering around in Argan’s shoes on Broadway.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
In several descriptions of these amateur events, including some of his own, Hemingway sounds less like a matador than a rodeo clown.

— Stephen Bates, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of clown

Noun

The pull Of Silicon Valley How much income tax revenue California could lose depends not just on what billionaires currently pay, but also on how many leave if Prop 40 passes.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Nov. 2026
In the past four games, all victories, the 5-foot-2 McGinley leads the team with 18 flag pulls and has six passes defended and an interception.

— Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of pull

Verb

Her dancers contort and gyrate not only to music but to the mischievous natter of recorded dialogue, to the sound of wind and the hiss and lurch of a train.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
By the end of the lengthy, lurching first act, the entire eight-person cast is onstage.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026