as in teased
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
the principal reminded the student athletes that taunting their opponents was not showing good sportsmanship
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Recent Examples of taunted
Having failed to secure a ticket, I was taunted with pitying one-upmanship by acquaintances who had had more success.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Iza later taunted the victim by sending him a photograph of the arrest and booking photo.
—City News Service, Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
And they were taunted by the protesters, getting abused for no reason.
—Emma Rosenblum, Curbed, 12 Mar. 2026
Police say Woods taunted Stewart before pulling the trigger, but the exact motive is unknown.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
This question has tantalized and taunted Bulls fans for years — and this trade deadline is no different.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Why do fans continuing need to be taunted during a game to place a bet?
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Lazzaro argued in court the mall victim was the aggressor and had taunted Hernandez over his history as a government informant, saying his reputation as a snitch would put him in grave danger back in prison.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Flex, who taunted Cassie on Instagram immediately after the Diddy verdict, is not turning back that tide.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Iza later taunted the victim by sending him a photograph of the arrest and booking photo.
—City News Service, Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026
And they were taunted by the protesters, getting abused for no reason.
—Emma Rosenblum, Curbed, 12 Mar. 2026
Police say Woods taunted Stewart before pulling the trigger, but the exact motive is unknown.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2026
This question has tantalized and taunted Bulls fans for years — and this trade deadline is no different.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Why do fans continuing need to be taunted during a game to place a bet?
—Jim Bowden, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Lazzaro argued in court the mall victim was the aggressor and had taunted Hernandez over his history as a government informant, saying his reputation as a snitch would put him in grave danger back in prison.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Flex, who taunted Cassie on Instagram immediately after the Diddy verdict, is not turning back that tide.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunted
Verb
-
Andrew Lloyd Webber, the composer behind such durable hits as Cats (1981), Phantom of the Opera, and Evita, has teased a new musical about the early 20th century theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, the Mona Lisa.—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Or maybe, as some eyebrow-raising posts on social media jokingly teased, foreshadowing a possible papal presidential run?—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Szépvölgyi mocked the prime minister, who is 62, for seeming unsteady when boos erupted at one of his recent rallies.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
-
There, a drag performer mocked the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum.—
Michael O'Boyle,
Bloomberg,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunted. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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