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 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
as in jeer
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of taunt
Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Rory McIlroy's taunt of JJ Spaun during the Masters' Par 3 playoff contest leaves Shane Lowry in Disbelief.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
The two half-brothers had argued frequently, taunted one another online, and called each other derogatory names, both sides agreed.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Trump on Wednesday took to Truth Social to jab Newsom with a couple of posts taunting the likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Verb
There was the infamous taunt, pointing to her ring finger during the NCAA championship game against Iowa, moments after Reebok signed her in an initial NIL deal.
—Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Rory McIlroy's taunt of JJ Spaun during the Masters' Par 3 playoff contest leaves Shane Lowry in Disbelief.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Noun
Law enforcement searched the couple’s phones and found a video of the dad taunting the boy with a bottle of water and withholding it as the boy could be heard asking for it, according to the report.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
The two half-brothers had argued frequently, taunted one another online, and called each other derogatory names, both sides agreed.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The jury saw extensive emails between Donna and Wendi that showed how Donna pushed Wendi to pursue relocation to South Florida at any cost, including offering her ex-husband $1 million and taunting him with the possibility of converting their kids from Judaism to Catholicism.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Trump on Wednesday took to Truth Social to jab Newsom with a couple of posts taunting the likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender.
—Amie Parnes, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunt
Noun
-
The message came after his 2015 appearance garnered jeers from the crowd.—
Elvia Limon - 09,
The Hill,
7 Sep. 2025
-
D’Annunzio jeers at her delusional belief that Il Duce will fund her dream project of a theater not for the wealthy cultural and intellectual elite, but for the Great War’s widows, orphans and veterans.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Jacob sneers, but doesn’t even wait for his son to answer.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The single, meanwhile, is ushered in with a gripping bass line and an undercurrent of keyboards until Osbourne makes his grand vocal entrance, all sneers and snarls.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
The intensity of Irish expressions of solidarity in 2024 caused one pro-Israel commentator, Ben Cohen, to coin the term Paddystinian as a derisive epithet to counter the narrative.—
Philip Metres
August 27,
Literary Hub,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Wall Street reacted to the delays with a derisive nickname TACO, for Trump Always Chickens Out.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Jokes can offend, annoy, insult or fall flat.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The New York Times reported this phrase is a common insult across the internet.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This fantasy football mock draft will be completed on ESPN in a 12-team, PPR, 1QB format. 2025 Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Pick 5 While the 5th pick is right next to pick six, this mock draft had much different results.—
Steve Bradshaw,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Now, however, the situation is reversed: more Devils Hole pupfish live in the mock Devils Hole than in the actual one.—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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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
Noun
-
Leno later said he felt humiliated by Kimmel’s jibe.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The foolishness of the governor’s gibe was underscored by the progressive, staunchly anti-Trump Democratic mayor of San Jose.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Where internet trolls often come off as flippant or spiteful, there is a relentless sense of play and mastery of language in even McNally’s most needling posts.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunt. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
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