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
Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Doncic and the Lakers appealed the call after he was given a technical for taunting against Orlando Magic forward Goga Bitadze in Saturday’s Lakers win.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
His torturers shattered his hands and paraded him around the stadium, taunting him to try to play his guitar.
—Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026
Robinson picked up a technical foul for taunting after Nets rookie guard Nolan Traore appeared to undercut the Knicks’ big man on an alley-oop with roughly three minutes left in the second quarter.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Cellphone video posted by Jada's aunt on social media shows Jada and another girl yelling and taunting each other while standing a good distance apart.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Her reasoning is frustrating, but understandable — her husband (Yao), now a vampire, is taunting her outside, and Remmick has threatened to kill her daughter back in town.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Defense attorney Kevin Rousseau suggested in witness questioning that Bell-Johnson, who is known as One Leg and uses a prosthetic limb, sought comfort in gang membership in part because of taunting connected to his disability.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated February 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2026
Another child care center director recounted how vehicles full of taunting men have driven by more than once.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
The hawks are practically taunting the populists for their lack of influence.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Doncic and the Lakers appealed the call after he was given a technical for taunting against Orlando Magic forward Goga Bitadze in Saturday’s Lakers win.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
His torturers shattered his hands and paraded him around the stadium, taunting him to try to play his guitar.
—Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026
Robinson picked up a technical foul for taunting after Nets rookie guard Nolan Traore appeared to undercut the Knicks’ big man on an alley-oop with roughly three minutes left in the second quarter.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Cellphone video posted by Jada's aunt on social media shows Jada and another girl yelling and taunting each other while standing a good distance apart.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
Her reasoning is frustrating, but understandable — her husband (Yao), now a vampire, is taunting her outside, and Remmick has threatened to kill her daughter back in town.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Defense attorney Kevin Rousseau suggested in witness questioning that Bell-Johnson, who is known as One Leg and uses a prosthetic limb, sought comfort in gang membership in part because of taunting connected to his disability.
—Emerson Clarridge
updated February 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2026
Another child care center director recounted how vehicles full of taunting men have driven by more than once.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 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
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After teasing the news stories of the day - Iran, the Artemis II lunar flyby, March Madness and more - Guthrie briefly acknowledged her homecoming.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
6 Apr. 2026
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After teasing Confessions' forthcoming sequel, Madonna has delivered the next best thing.—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But this time, American allies have balked at Trump’s request to send warships to help transport oil through the strait, suggesting there is a limit to how far Europe will go to keep Trump onside in Ukraine and demonstrating the upshot of Trump’s derisive attitude toward alliances.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
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The market learned a lesson embodied in the derisive acronym TACO: Trump Always Chickens Out.—
Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Reuters reported that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who hosted the dinner of some 200 people as co-chair of the World Economic Forum, ended the dinner after the heckling incident — before dessert was served.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
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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
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In cases of significant thinning, Small recommends procedures like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or micro-needling.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 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 10 Apr. 2026.
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