as in teases
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
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 taunts
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
In the present day, Ellen watches as MacKinny taunts Colum in front of a crowd of onlookers and rushes to stand by his side.
—Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Garraty is forced to slap himself across the face to stay awake as Barkovitch taunts him.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
In the present day, Ellen watches as MacKinny taunts Colum in front of a crowd of onlookers and rushes to stand by his side.
—Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunts
Verb
-
After bulking up to play a professional footballer in horror movie Him (in theaters next week), Wayans teases his return for Scary Movie 6, the sequel to the horror-parody franchise.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The video teases the emotional reunion between Noah and Nick after their devastating breakup, questioning whether the couple can survive their final race together after their fast-burning love affair reached a breaking point and screeched to a sudden halt.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is why Dijon’s language works best as sound, not narrative—his rangy, raspy voice seethes and triumphs, mocks and threatens; there’s no world in which his polygonal perspective can be discerned from a lyric sheet.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
16 Aug. 2025
-
After being told that Dawn is dead, Gaal mocks Demerzel for pretending to grieve, which angers the robot.—
Rafael Motamayor,
Vulture,
15 Aug. 2025
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
-
Egyptian influencers linked to intelligence fronts launched vicious personal attacks, including ethnic slurs, against the Saudi royal family and graphic insults targeting the crown prince.—
Khaled Hassan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
-
After a brief pause, the messages resumed months later and escalated to 40-50 a day, ranging from insults about Lauryn’s appearance to alarming threats against her relationship.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Alliances shift, quips fly like the ever-present bullets, and if there is a pause, it’s done for comedic effect.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Tosh will ‘throw in’ water slide Tosh, known for his sharp wit and creative humor, provided some personal photos and quips in the email announcing the listing.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As a result of that and other outrages, in 2008 voters passed Proposition 11, the Voters FIRST Act.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These constituencies view the sanctions and the tariffs as otherwise legal instruments weaponized for geopolitical purposes—and as direct affronts to Brazil’s democratic integrity.—
HUSSEIN KALOUT,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Some left-leaning commentators seized upon the anti-Semitic scrawlings and racial slurs and said the killer was clearly a neo-Nazi.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
-
In its verdict, the jury said the singer will not have to pay any of the damages, and was not found guilty of Ellis' claims that the singer hit her, cut her face, spit on her and said racial slurs to her.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taunts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunts. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share