1
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
his constant rudeness and insensitivity made everyone think he was a real jerk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to twitch
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 to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the car jerked with every shift of the gear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of jerk
Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
The left horse just wanted to shamble along, while the right horse pulled with frantic jerks.
—Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 May 2025
Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Noun
As part of Gabriel’s solution to showing Ansari’s character that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the Hollywood, the well-meaning angel body-swaps him with an uber-rich jerk, played by Seth Rogen.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
The left horse just wanted to shamble along, while the right horse pulled with frantic jerks.
—Louise Erdrich, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
Verb
Then stage two involves jerking movement, spasms, loss of vision, dementia, and seizures.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 May 2025
Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk
Noun
-
The 18-year-old, who goes by the nickname Eliza rather than Elizabeth, opened up about the emotional tug of war between honoring her own identity and meeting her family’s expectations in a recent Reddit post.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
6 July 2025
-
Aim to finish with a clear success - whether that's catching the toy or winning a tug game.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
Rivera fired his Taser at Feliz, then got into the car on the passenger’s side and threatened to shoot Rivera as a physical struggle ensued, according to body camera footage, as another officer attempted to yank Feliz out of the vehicle.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
-
Squirrels love to yank new plants out of the ground.—
Paul Cappiello,
The Courier-Journal,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
The fearful pup stepped out to greet her, his tail twitching—his first show of trust in a long time.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 July 2025
-
So instead, designers tweaked certain details, like twitching nerves under his skin and the iridescence in his scales.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
Verb
-
But the humble protein powerhouse has never seemed to be able to shake the bad reputation.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
1 July 2025
-
But in that time of rounding corners only to find another door closed, my relentless hopefulness had finally been shaken.—
Kelsey Cox,
People.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Police brought in hundreds of law enforcement personnel with dogs, armored carriers, horses and helicopters that circled overhead.—
Maryclaire Dale, Marc Levy and Michael Rubinkam,
Anchorage Daily News,
13 Sep. 2023
-
The couple was seen taking a stroll on a N.Y.C. street with Bosworth's dog, Happy, on Tuesday.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
Peoplemag,
13 Sep. 2023
Noun
-
Earth's natural satellite exerts a powerful gravitational pull that generally slows our rotation over long timescales.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
On these days, the moon will be at its furthest from the Earth's equator, changing its gravitational pull and causing our planet to spin just a tiny bit faster on its axis, according to science news website LiveScience.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
With the stunning reemergence of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic socialists in the New York City mayor’s election, the Democratic Party is lurching even further to the left, leaving them even more alienated and out of touch.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
26 June 2025
-
The Taxpayers can lurch from old-school punk into pop, ballad and experimental territories.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2025
Verb
-
Up to 75 mph winds ripped down power lines, tossed trees onto roads and railroad tracks and forced businesses to close for the day.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
-
Cleaning this quilt is a breeze—just toss it in the washing machine and tumble dry for a refresh.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerk. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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