as in taunting
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
the players were heckled by disappointed fans
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 heckling
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
Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
The unarmed, nonviolent citizens who have been following ICE agents, blowing whistles to alert people to their presence, even heckling and mocking them, are not just trying to impede their work.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Later, things get uncomfortable when a group of high school boys start hanging around the bleachers and heckling the team.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026
Scholes and Butt grizzle about the old times like a Mancunian version of The Muppets’ Statler and Waldorf, heckling the cast from their box seats.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
According to several witnesses mentioned in the report, the victim and suspect had been heckling each other.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Jeering bluejays and cawing crows break the silence, seemingly heckling my unwelcome presence.
—Thomas Cangelosi, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Lorey presented videos to Fox News Digital that showed other spectators at the game heckling the girls in attendance who were there with Lorey.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Also at the vigil, British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy vowed to never stop fighting terrorism amid heckling from the crowd.
—Peter Wilkinson, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
On weekends for more than five years, volunteers at the East Plano Islamic Center have braved wind, cold and, recently, heckling protesters to pass out boxes of food to a long line of expectant cars.
—Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
The unarmed, nonviolent citizens who have been following ICE agents, blowing whistles to alert people to their presence, even heckling and mocking them, are not just trying to impede their work.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
Later, things get uncomfortable when a group of high school boys start hanging around the bleachers and heckling the team.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026
Scholes and Butt grizzle about the old times like a Mancunian version of The Muppets’ Statler and Waldorf, heckling the cast from their box seats.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
According to several witnesses mentioned in the report, the victim and suspect had been heckling each other.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Jeering bluejays and cawing crows break the silence, seemingly heckling my unwelcome presence.
—Thomas Cangelosi, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Lorey presented videos to Fox News Digital that showed other spectators at the game heckling the girls in attendance who were there with Lorey.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Also at the vigil, British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy vowed to never stop fighting terrorism amid heckling from the crowd.
—Peter Wilkinson, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heckling
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
-
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
Adjective
-
The revelation quickly made headlines, and the social-media peanut gallery was sharply derisive.—
Emma Sandler,
Vogue,
15 Dec. 2025
-
There is nothing quite like experiencing a truly terrible film with a room full of gleefully derisive bad-movie fans.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
OpenAI has been teasing the introduction of ads for weeks.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Dunkin' has been teasing the Big Game ad for some time.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In cases of significant thinning, Small recommends procedures like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or micro-needling.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Glaser was at her best when needling awards-show tropes.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heckling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heckling. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
