1
as in yanked
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
Relevance
2
as in twitched
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 shook
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the car jerked with every shift of the gear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jerked
Travis jerked open the door and slid on his butt down a wing that was on fire.
—
Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
The president starts out by making a visit to Liberty Arena to play basketball with some school children, then gets jerked away when the crisis happens.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
If Hall jerked too violently, let alone tried to run, the wire would pull the trigger, firing the shotgun Kiritsis had pointed at the back of Hall’s head.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
The president starts out by making a visit to Liberty Arena to play basketball with some school children, then gets jerked away when the crisis happens.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
If Hall jerked too violently, let alone tried to run, the wire would pull the trigger, firing the shotgun Kiritsis had pointed at the back of Hall’s head.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerked
Verb
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Some even report being pinched and yanked at while in the room, staff say the pincher is the ghost of a homeless little girl who occupied the vacant prison during the Great Depression.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Annoyed Detroit ticketholders reacted Wednesday on YoungBoy fan sites after the LCA show was yanked from the tour schedule.—
Brian McCollum,
Freep.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Her hand twitched from the heat.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
-
My hand twitched toward the phone, muscle memory stronger than willpower.—
Maggie Downs,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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By Brendan Kuty, Jen McCaffrey and Chris Kirschner NEW YORK — The crowd roared, and then the building shook.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Clark shook her head and said no to both questions.—
Jill Martin,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The escalator lurched to a halt just after the pair got on.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
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On Halloween of 2022, just weeks into the new school year, senior Ehni Ler Htoo was making his way through the halls of Proctor High School in Utica, New York, when a fellow student lurched at him from behind, repeatedly plunging a 9-inch hunting knife into his back.—
Tonya Simpson,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That drive fell apart two plays later when Madsen tossed his third of four interceptions in the game.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Oct. 2025
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Carbonara When the pasta is tossed with the eggy cheese sauce, the noodles quickly soak up every drop.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Earth shuddered with yet another wave of extinctions in this initial chill.—
Peter Brannen,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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For much of last season, Atletico appeared set to seriously compete on all fronts, but their season shuddered to a stop in March with a series of disappointing defeats by Barcelona and Madrid across La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The number of people using the FAIR plan for fire insurance has increased dramatically in recent years as companies have pulled back business in the state due to losses caused by major wildfires arising from risks due to climate change and other factors.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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On their first possession, Mahomes stood in the pocket with the Chiefs in the red zone, spotted receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster open down the middle and pulled the trigger on a third-down pass.—
Sam McDowell
October 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Children fidgeted in the relentless August heat.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerked. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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