as in to tease
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
the principal reminded the student athletes that taunting their opponents was not showing good sportsmanship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in jeer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of taunt
David Denby, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
Miller then scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Pacers to a 93-86 victory, taunting Knicks superfan Spike Lee on the sideline by making a choke signal.
—Brian Mahoney, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
David Moscrop, TIME, 24 Mar. 2025
Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury has long endured racist and homophobic taunts.
—Susan M. Shaw, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Verb
Brooks, in her movies, lures men to their doom—or taunts men with her availability, only to refuse them.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
Miller then scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Pacers to a 93-86 victory, taunting Knicks superfan Spike Lee on the sideline by making a choke signal.
—Brian Mahoney, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
Noun
With Trump’s taunts, the pressure on the highly unpopular Trudeau to step aside only grew.
—David Moscrop, TIME, 24 Mar. 2025
Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury has long endured racist and homophobic taunts.
—Susan M. Shaw, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunt
Verb
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Nickelback gets teased a lot as a band, as the group's name has become synonymous with a past era in music — but that doesn't mean the rock outfit isn't still hugely successful.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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During a recent interview with Variety, Jóhannesson teased Galitzine’s physical preparation for the role of He-Man.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
15 June 2025
Noun
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There had never been physical violence against the group, but there were insults, jeers, accusations that the marchers themselves support genocide.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
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But the road to that reality has been anything but smooth, with a rally last week in Castle Rock decrying the move, a tense town hall meeting at county headquarters that ended in shouts and jeers — and a lawsuit attempting to shut the whole thing down.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Some right wingers will watch to mock the protesters or watch for signs of violence.—
Chris Morris,
Fortune,
14 June 2025
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The Baloncesto Superior Nacional league announced Tuesday that Cousins was kicked off the Mets de Guaynabo after a vile gesture toward a fan, grabbing his genitals to mock the fan as the fan flipped both his middle fingers.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2025
Noun
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His voice—typically pitched between a bellow and a sneer—was instantly recognizable to the couple that night.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
3 May 2025
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In a movie climate where remakes tend to draw sneers of derision and claims that people have just gotten too lazy to invent anything new, Disney’s remakes of its own products are always a chief target.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The president and the governor are having a momentous fight about constitutional rights in the courts, and flaming each other with insults and photoshopped memes on Truth Social and X. The ICE raids have thrown some Angelenos into a state of fear and virtual hiding.—
Julia Wick,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
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The two men had a very public falling out in early June, which unfolded in a series of insults and allegations on social media.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
11 June 2025
Noun
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Enter the freestyle diss track round, where each contestant had to deliver a rap targeting none other than Sam Reich himself — accompanied by a live beatboxer named Antonio.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
5 May 2025
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Last Friday, another short video was shared on his Instagram, this one featuring a snippet of his own diss.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Roy Keane’s ‘prawn sandwiches’ jibe had interesting origins.—
Michael Walker,
The Athletic,
15 Mar. 2025
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But even some Republicans weren’t happy with the nasty gibe.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Beginning Last Week Tonight, the host made a quip about a 2023 headline concerning a FedEx plane that nearly crashed into a Southwest airliner in Austin.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
1 June 2025
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Hold aside, for now, columnist Salena Zito's apt 2016 quip about taking Trump seriously but not literally.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunt. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
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