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
Relevance
as in jeer
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of taunt
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
Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
McMillan, a man of Polynesian descent, stood, adrenaline still surging, and fired back with a taunt, using the N-word.
—Devon Henderson, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Verb
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
Noun
His decision to perform his entire set in Spanish felt like a deliberate taunt directed at Americans rooted in tradition and familiar cultural experiences.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
McMillan, a man of Polynesian descent, stood, adrenaline still surging, and fired back with a taunt, using the N-word.
—Devon Henderson, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunt
Noun
-
The Garden’s, ahem, Bleep* Trae Young jeers took on a life of their own, so much so that fans still break out that chant with regularity — including in the current series against the Hawks, even though Young is no longer on the team.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Starmer’s explanation was greeted with jeers from opposition lawmakers, incredulous that the nation’s leader hadn’t known such a crucial piece of information.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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
Noun
-
While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
-
From the sneer of Billy Idol to the smooth sashaying of Sade, the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees amplify the institution’s commitment to recognizing a diverse slate.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The market learned a lesson embodied in the derisive acronym TACO: Trump Always Chickens Out.—
Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There are comic insults and lines of great beauty.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The president often hurled insults at Bezos and his ownership of The Washington Post, as well as his tax record.—
Annie Palmer,Justin Papp,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Philadelphia, at 23, has been a popular destination in mocks.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
-
This list is organized by position and also includes players who have appeared in our mock drafts and Brugler’s seven-round mock.—
Kevin Fishbain,
New York Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The casual references to him as a billionaire, however, is one gibe that Lamont laughs off.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
13 Apr. 2026
-
In the final race, when Canfield was vying with Slingsby for the lead at the first turning mark, the Australians foiled through their first jibe and into a commanding lead.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Taunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunt. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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