as in teasing
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taunting
CBS News, 9 June 2026
Then Tate started openly taunting his accusers.
—Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Set in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, a group of outcast kids must survive the taunting sewer-dwelling clown, who forces them to confront their deepest fears.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Fans booed as Jade Cargill took control early, taunting Rhea with pushups.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Afroman published songs and music videos taunting the deputies.
—Andrew Graham
may 28, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
The days of some taunting him when Palace squeezed past Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this season are in the past.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 May 2026
This week, Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage after promoting a video of himself taunting detained flotilla activists.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Among his most controversial posts was sharing a video in 2024 of University of Mississippi students, nearly all of them white males, taunting a Black woman.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
Verb
Some of the people in that group began taunting and jeering at the dancing men, some of whom were shirtless and wearing bathing suits.
—CBS News, 9 June 2026
Then Tate started openly taunting his accusers.
—Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Set in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, a group of outcast kids must survive the taunting sewer-dwelling clown, who forces them to confront their deepest fears.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Fans booed as Jade Cargill took control early, taunting Rhea with pushups.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Afroman published songs and music videos taunting the deputies.
—Andrew Graham
may 28, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
The days of some taunting him when Palace squeezed past Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this season are in the past.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 May 2026
This week, Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage after promoting a video of himself taunting detained flotilla activists.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Among his most controversial posts was sharing a video in 2024 of University of Mississippi students, nearly all of them white males, taunting a Black woman.
—ABC News, 18 May 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
-
Two children at a Redlands elementary school faced racial harassment, discrimination and teasing for months, resulting in them being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, their mother alleged in a lawsuit filed against the school district.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
This supernovela, a term used to describe high-budget soapy dramas, looks ultra-addictive and is already teasing a second season.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Educators were fired for making insensitive comments about him on their personal social-media accounts; a firefighter in Toledo lost his job for posting a derisive eulogy on Facebook; various airline employees were suspended for disparaging Kirk online.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The series has since aired four episodes, with two to go, and fans are hailing Ings as the new Peter Dinklage — witty, derisive, a touch irascible.—
Shannon Keating,
Vulture,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Vice President Vance appeared on FOX News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle hours after the heckling incident, telling the host about visiting with the national guardsmen and discussing recent changes to the city, while briefly mentioning the protesters.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Then, Metric’s peak came on 2009’s Fantasies, which paired needling electronics with thumping drum programming; both it and its follow-up, Synthetica, hit the top 10 on the Canadian albums chart and went platinum in Canada.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
4 May 2026
-
Then, again, the needling cold.—
Roey Leonardi,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunting. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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