1
as in yanking
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 twitching
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 shaking
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 jerking
Sounds like the plot of a tear-jerking movie, no?
—
David Oliver, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
With an epic Oscar-winning title song by Streisand and tear-jerking scenes aplenty, this film is a perennial favorite and often referred to in pop culture.
—Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
One video posted to the social platform X appeared to show Kirk addressing the students, at one point speaking about gang violence, before being struck near the neck and later jerking to his left side.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 10 Sep. 2025
The story follows a Jewish family across five generations, from childhood to adulthood, blending laughs and tear-jerking moments, just like in Bob-Waksberg’s other shows.
—Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Tear-jerking purple prose designed to make a Baby Boomer nostalgic and sad.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Gradually, as a meandering narrative comes to focus on the case of Hisashi (Ojiro Nakamura), a cheery young boy awaiting a heart transplant, the film’s intellectual and emotional interests come to a satisfying (and aggressively tear-jerking) head.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
There are some heartfelt, tear-jerking moments this season.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2025
David Oliver, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025
With an epic Oscar-winning title song by Streisand and tear-jerking scenes aplenty, this film is a perennial favorite and often referred to in pop culture.
—Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
One video posted to the social platform X appeared to show Kirk addressing the students, at one point speaking about gang violence, before being struck near the neck and later jerking to his left side.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 10 Sep. 2025
The story follows a Jewish family across five generations, from childhood to adulthood, blending laughs and tear-jerking moments, just like in Bob-Waksberg’s other shows.
—Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Tear-jerking purple prose designed to make a Baby Boomer nostalgic and sad.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Gradually, as a meandering narrative comes to focus on the case of Hisashi (Ojiro Nakamura), a cheery young boy awaiting a heart transplant, the film’s intellectual and emotional interests come to a satisfying (and aggressively tear-jerking) head.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
There are some heartfelt, tear-jerking moments this season.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerking
Verb
-
Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky has taken the next logical step in making a Black Hawk helicopter autonomous by not only installing the gear needed for self-flying, but by yanking out the entire cockpit and replacing it with cargo doors.—
David Szondy
October 13,
New Atlas,
13 Oct. 2025
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However, she was momentarily stopped when one concert goer grabbed her, violently yanking her backwards and into the barricade.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Any dairy farmer can tell you that biting flies are a pestilent scourge for cattle herds, which is why one so often sees cows throwing their heads, stamping their feet, flicking their tails, and twitching their skin—desperately trying to shake off the nasty creatures.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
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Prior to the 2024 incident, Mangione reportedly shared information on Reddit about a number of health issues, including struggles with back pain, brain fog, and twitching leg muscles.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Among seismic sports television changes during the past 50 years, the NBA’s new media rights deal, one that officially begins this week, isn’t quite as earth-shaking as CBS losing the NFL to Fox in 1994 or ABC losing Monday Night Football in 2005.—
Barry Jackson
Updated October 21,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
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The post shows video footage of the dog barking and shaking as floodwaters reached the dog's chest.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Marigold Room, just off the lobby, is an intimate music space and listening room for just 150 guests that’s already pulling national touring acts.—
Jennifer Bradley Franklin,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Langham stopped the truck by pulling Hagen’s leg off the gas pedal and pushing the brake pedal with her hand.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Applause intermingled with tears as the families of the Camp Mystic campers and counselors looked on, many with small children fidgeting in their Sunday-best attire behind the governor.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Andy sighed, shuddering between them.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The White House will be well aware of this fact, particularly in an environment where fiscally conservative Republicans will be shuddering at Uncle Sam’s $37 trillion (and growing) national debt.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Just be sure the lid’s fully sealed before tossing it in your bag or pack.—
Clay Abney,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Oct. 2025
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The long-standing tradition involves the crowd tossing the discs into the air primarily before kickoff at Jones AT&T Stadium.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerking. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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