as in to play (on or upon)
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Recent Examples of jerk around
And that’s not even taking into consideration the continual jerking around of Busy Philipps.
—
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 July 2025
He was locked up to be a franchise player, and franchise players aren’t typically jerked around like that.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 18 June 2025
The vehicles are tricked out with surround sound, too; and at one point on our joyride the bus was jerked around by the bus driver to simulate the sensation of a subway speeding underfoot.
—Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
The shocking news out of this summer’s Olympic break-dancing competition in Paris wasn’t that a female Australian competitor had hopped and jerked around like Uma Thurman being revived from a drug coma in Pulp Fiction.
—Christian Schneider, National Review, 24 Oct. 2024
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons Category: Starter to star After a year where the former lottery pick was jerked around in regard to minutes, role, and even on-court responsibilities, Ivey is now set to enter his third year, finally with some stability attached to his name.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
For a population like Gaza’s, there’s not enough food, people have been jerked around from place to place.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 8 May 2024
The guy in the center seat where the stringer was tied off noticed it was being jerked around.
—Idaho Statesman, 2 Mar. 2016
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 July 2025
He was locked up to be a franchise player, and franchise players aren’t typically jerked around like that.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 18 June 2025
The vehicles are tricked out with surround sound, too; and at one point on our joyride the bus was jerked around by the bus driver to simulate the sensation of a subway speeding underfoot.
—Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
The shocking news out of this summer’s Olympic break-dancing competition in Paris wasn’t that a female Australian competitor had hopped and jerked around like Uma Thurman being revived from a drug coma in Pulp Fiction.
—Christian Schneider, National Review, 24 Oct. 2024
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons Category: Starter to star After a year where the former lottery pick was jerked around in regard to minutes, role, and even on-court responsibilities, Ivey is now set to enter his third year, finally with some stability attached to his name.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
For a population like Gaza’s, there’s not enough food, people have been jerked around from place to place.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 8 May 2024
The guy in the center seat where the stringer was tied off noticed it was being jerked around.
—Idaho Statesman, 2 Mar. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk around
Verb
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As people increasingly turn to such bots for emotional support and life advice, recent incidents have spotlighted their potential to manipulate vulnerable people by facilitating a false sense of closeness or care.—
Angela Yang,
NBC news,
31 Oct. 2025
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The face-down between a pitcher and a batter, especially in a World Series, has enough tension without needing to be manipulated by outside music.—
Alison Weinflash,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Dodgers, with baseball's biggest payroll, have used their financial ability to pluck some of the most sought-after and most expensive free agents on the market.—
Steve Futterman,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
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According to the new study, certain forms of iron oxyhydroxide nanominerals can catalyze the degradation of organophosphate esters (OPEs), chemical additives used in plastics as flame retardants and softeners.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For five years, Ave and the other children trapped there — three of them aged six and under — were brutally pimped by their trafficker until a neighbor summoned the cops.—
Natalia Paradies,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
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Prosecutors said Floyd was also convicted of pimping a minor older than 16 years old, two counts of taking the girl’s money from prostitution and two counts of pandering by encouraging the prostitution.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Super Leaders not only embrace emerging technology but leverage it for both their own growth as well as the growth of their team.—
Kelly Jones,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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After the collapse of domestic box office in October, Aron needs to convince investors AMC can leverage a steadier supply of Hollywood tentpole releases to get film lovers back in the habit of going to the multiplex in pre-pandemic numbers.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Ridglan Farms, which was under investigation on allegations of mistreating its dogs, agreed to halt its breeding operation by July 1, meaning employees can no longer breed and sell beagles at the facility.—
Laura Schulte,
jsonline.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Klingerman alleged in Don't Date Brandon that Johnson was cheating and mistreated her older daughter, Lexus, from a previous relationship.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Many of us were abused by them.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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The first is the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, released in October, which contained her allegations against Andrew and the wider story of her being abused by Epstein.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerk around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerk%20around. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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