1
as in bastards
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
his constant rudeness and insensitivity made everyone think he was a real jerk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tugs
the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force
guided the rowboat with a jerk of the rope
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in yanks
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 twitches
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 shakes
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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of jerks
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2025
That rich people sure can be easily manipulable jerks?
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Gave the two jerks her very best.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Because even in a world of monsters, ghouls, and greedy jerks, the good guys still prevail.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
But note that Bill and Ted aren’t jerks — watch Excellent Adventure now and you’ll be struck by how incredibly sunny its humor is.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Its strong coverage quietly makes sure that streaming stays smooth, calls don't drop, and gaming goes on without any jerks.
—PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025
The mechanism feels smooth and sturdy—no awkward jerks or wobbles.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
Life is too short to work with jerks.
—Shayne Fitz-Coy, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Paul goes to shake her hand but jerks it back, then gives her a left-handed handshake.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
Instead, the Engel-Jackson family is more run-of-the-mill awful — a recognizable pack of self-serving jerks more focused on the appearance of cheer than any real kindness.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2025
That rich people sure can be easily manipulable jerks?
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025
Gave the two jerks her very best.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Because even in a world of monsters, ghouls, and greedy jerks, the good guys still prevail.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
But note that Bill and Ted aren’t jerks — watch Excellent Adventure now and you’ll be struck by how incredibly sunny its humor is.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
Its strong coverage quietly makes sure that streaming stays smooth, calls don't drop, and gaming goes on without any jerks.
—PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025
The mechanism feels smooth and sturdy—no awkward jerks or wobbles.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
Life is too short to work with jerks.
—Shayne Fitz-Coy, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
The boy jerks his head as if to wake himself, turns around abruptly and looks the other way, even though there’s nothing special to see besides darkness and emptiness, which is where a living eye should never look.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Paul goes to shake her hand but jerks it back, then gives her a left-handed handshake.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerks
Noun
-
These motorcycles were so well-built that they were even employed in both World Wars, mainly as dispatch bikes and sidecar tugs for the British armed forces.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
6 Dec. 2025
-
The first, known as the radial velocity technique, looks for slight wobbles in the star’s position, as the gravity of an orbiting exoplanet tugs it one way and then the other.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Judy yanks Mikey’s roller trunk out of the mud and leads him toward one of the nearby hiking trails.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
26 Nov. 2025
-
Suddenly, someone in the audience yanks her violently into the screaming mass of people.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Kicking off the Year With Self-Care These days, her morning ritual also includes Premier Protein shakes.—
Leslie D. Rose,
Parents,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Berto is seen walking back to his truck, while the Tahoe driver walks toward the front end of the Tahoe, looks down at the bumper and shakes his head before turning to point the firearm at Berto, the affidavit said.—
Timia Cobb
Breaking News Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Six Flags Magic Mountain will fill the summer, fall and winter seasons in 2026 with an entertaining mix of Superman and Harley Quinn, Oktoberfest beers and Bavarian pretzels, killer clowns and blood curdling screams and Santa Claus and faux snow.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
31 Dec. 2025
-
There are articles about Frank Sinatra and Michael Jordan, royals and rock stars, cowboys and clowns.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Low-Quality Fixtures Finishes and fixtures—like faucets and lights, to door hardware and drawer pulls—might seem like an easy place to save on cost, but experts, designers, and Redditors alike often warn that cheap fixtures will quickly reveal their flaws.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Make sure to clean and polish knobs and pulls.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Three seconds later, the Honda crashes into a parked car with such force its tires fly off the street, the pile of cars lurches forward several feet and snow billows.—
Claire Galofaro,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
-
As one officer reaches for the SUV's door handle, the vehicle lurches backward and then begins moving forward, rightward, seemingly away from the officers.—
Justin Gomez,
ABC News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The man fidgets, shifts around in his seat and fixates on Zarutska before pulling out a small knife and striking her multiple times around her neck.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerks. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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