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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taunts
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
The two come face-to-face at the end of the episode, during which Callahan taunts Kyle over his wife's murder.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
Instead, Pennywise taunts Ingrid before showing her the deadlights and leaving her (mostly) catatonic.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
But 36–23 still taunts and tantalizes us, a magical missing score that reminds every Scorigami devotee that what’s possible isn’t preordained.
—Josh Levin, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2025
Bully Ray envisioned a moment where a rival taunts the voiceless Knight.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 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
Verb
In a 30-second clip, Adams is seen leaving a jet bridge while a woman who is walking ahead of him seemingly taunts Adams.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
The two come face-to-face at the end of the episode, during which Callahan taunts Kyle over his wife's murder.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
Instead, Pennywise taunts Ingrid before showing her the deadlights and leaving her (mostly) catatonic.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
But 36–23 still taunts and tantalizes us, a magical missing score that reminds every Scorigami devotee that what’s possible isn’t preordained.
—Josh Levin, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2025
Bully Ray envisioned a moment where a rival taunts the voiceless Knight.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 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
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As his feelings for Sophie deepen, the trailer teases rising tension around class, identity and loyalty, forcing Benedict to confront whether love can truly exist outside the rigid expectations of the Ton.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Mykhailova teases him about being so much older than the other students in the program.—
Natalie Yahr,
jsonline.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There was a second of stunned silence before the room erupted in boos and jeers.—
JJ Holmes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
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During the opening ceremony, Team USA athletes were cheered on, but jeers and whistles could be heard as Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, were shown on the stadium screens, waving American flags from the tribune.—
Fernanda Figueroa,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Chelsea Handler honors Rob Reiner, mocks DiCaprio's 'Titanic' vacationNeed a news break?—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
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There, Callahan mocks him, saying that killing him won't assuage Mike of his guilt.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Years of insults and diss tracks and pranks and social media posts have followed, with small islands of peace floating by from time to time.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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When things go sour, both kids spew insults and indignation with a matter-of-fact insolence.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The musical prose hums with different accents, most evidently with Milena’s quips in French and Enzo’s Levantine lilt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s quips about acquiring the island have ignited international concerns about Greenland’s independence and sovereignty from lawmakers in Washington and NATO allies alike.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As has always been the case in my life, my main way of responding to political outrages is through writing and reading.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Rideout’s trial, for example, teemed with outrages.—
S. C. Cornell,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, some on Wall Street continue to warn of complacency in financial markets amid affronts to the Fed’s independence, persistent nerves about a bubble and increasingly fraught geopolitics.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Shaban’s chief response to this and other affronts is silence.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Big 12 fined Colorado $50,000 in September after football fans directed expletives and religious slurs at Mormons during a game against the Cougars in Boulder.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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Just a few months ago, a far‑right group disrupted the early morning prayer services of the NSU Muslim Student Association on Hollywood Beach, shouting hateful anti-Muslim slurs.—
Adam Abutaa,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taunts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunts. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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