taunting 1 of 2

taunting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of taunt

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 taunting
Verb
And nipped any indication that Williams was taunting the 45-year-old coach in the bud. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 14 Sep. 2026 The big house sat clear, taunting their one‑room shack with its size, her children somewhere swallowed in the expansiveness of the land. Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 Cunningham’s highlights are hard fouls, a few 3-pointers, taunting, serving as a ring girl at a UFC fight, her sense of humor, and now commentary that has a Fox flair. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Aug. 2026 His gruff mechanic Cooter Davenport is introduced as a hell-raising, uncouth wild man, constantly taunting the authorities and flouting convention. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026 Gunther once again took his attention away from Aldis by taunting Aldis’ wife—WWE Hall of Famer Mickie James—and his son Donovan. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 The ancient namesake ammunition detailed by researchers at Spain’s Autonomous University of Barcelona is only the latest example of Roman soldiers’ penchant for taunting their enemies from afar. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2026 Salgado is accused of approaching the man, taunting him to start a fight and punching him in the face, police said. Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026 And the Ithacan more than lives up to his reputation as the most obstinate hero in history, regularly taunting Poseidon (Miles Anderson) despite knowing the god will delay his return home. Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunting
Adjective
  • To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!
    Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Bill Hader offered his thoughts on voice acting and artificial intelligence while teasing his next projects at the Variety Entertainment & Technology Summit presented by EY, held Thursday in Los Angeles.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • After teasing fans on social media and in interviews for the past few months, Oasis have officially announced a 2027 tour.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • And yes, the previous sentence is intended as both complimentary and derisive.
    Andy Behrens, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • According to Elsas, the name began as a slight — a derisive label used by a Northern newspaper reporter to mock the poor Scots-Irish mill workers who lived in the neighborhood during a headline-grabbing labor strike.
    Brian Unger, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • There was also an August 2024 incident at Fenway when Duran hurled a homophobic slur at a heckling fan.
    Greg Dudek, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
  • Charles Barkley was once spitting mad at a heckling fan, and his expectoration wound up splashing on an 8-year-old girl.
    Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 22 May 2026
Adjective
  • These were actors who may have earlier been needling at or attempting to push my boundaries.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • But for those who find (and in some cases may be slightly mystified as to why) that there is a nagging, needling value to Schrader’s ongoing project of tussling with grandiose dilemmas of transgression and deliverance, there is some new news here.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Taunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunting. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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