as in to play (on or upon)
Related Words
Relevance
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 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
-
Corporations known to have manipulated rental prices & housing supply should be closely monitored.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
During the hours before and during the Super Bowl, Little said, the company detected attempts to manipulate birthdates at triple or more the usual rate.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to agree to constrain its nuclear program and over Tehran's crackdown on nationwide protests.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Discoverability, most people just use algorithms to find music nowadays.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On Thursday, Dong and Nie were arrested at their home in Hacienda Heights and booked on suspicion of pimping, pandering and conspiracy.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Armstrong has been charged by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit with single counts of human trafficking of a minor, pimping a minor over the age of 16 years and pandering with a minor over 16 years old — all felonies.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools is one of the few districts in the state that has leveraged the program to offer free meals to every student in every building, regardless of their household income.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
15 Feb. 2026
-
As systems act more autonomously and with greater speed, humans would be tempted to abdicate decision making in order to leverage their power.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Several cases involve force and abuse The AP’s review found a pattern of charges involving ICE employees and contractors who mistreated vulnerable people in their care.—
Ryan J. Foley,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The Rafah border crossing, meant to support the ceasefire, has seen minimal passage and reports of Palestinians being interrogated and mistreated.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Construction is set to begin on a new center in Morgan Hill for abused and neglected children and their families next month.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Once installed, NexShield immediately starts abusing Chrome or Edge in the background.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jerk around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerk%20around. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
