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
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 jerks
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
Needless to say, all these vain, privileged, self-promoting jerks are soon going to make CW’s acquaintance, then regret it — even as vengeful Madison zeroes in on that lady’s whereabouts.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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
Needless to say, all these vain, privileged, self-promoting jerks are soon going to make CW’s acquaintance, then regret it — even as vengeful Madison zeroes in on that lady’s whereabouts.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
-
Less obvious is how the Earth itself tugs at the solid rocky surface of the moon.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Throughout his time at the Palace, several women have reported feeling tugs on their hair or having the sensation that someone is lingering right over their shoulder.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Suddenly, someone in the audience yanks her violently into the screaming mass of people.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
-
In each Whatever After novel, a magic portal yanks the main character, Abby, out of her comfortable life and thrusts her into another reality.—
Sarah Mlynowski,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 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
-
The brand’s vegan protein shakes have a coconut-milk base and come in 20-gram, 26-gram, and 32-gram varieties, but the 20-gram seems to be the easiest to find.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Occasional use of those protein powders isn’t as concerning as a person making protein shakes three times a day.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
By the mid 19th century, clowns were more central to circus entertainment, and their acts more risqué.—
Time,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The clowns come at you quickly at Fast Splash Car Wash in Detroit, Mich.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
27 Oct. 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
-
But as the shutdown lurches through its fifth week, and legislators direct blame at each other, food pantries across the Kansas City area are left to grapple with the fallout.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Despite that notable change, watching One Battle After Another is much like the experience of reading Pynchon, who lurches from high comedy to stomach-turning naturalism and punctuates plot-heavy sequences with little grace notes of character portraiture.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
24 Sep. 2025
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 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share