1
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
his constant rudeness and insensitivity made everyone think he was a real jerk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
1
as in to yank
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
I jerked to one side to avoid getting hit jerked the leash to get the dog's attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to twitch
to make jerky or restless movements
you've got to quit jerking, or the barber will nick you by accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the car jerked with every shift of the gear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of jerk
Dawn Staley, New York Times, 20 May 2025
This weekend, two veterans — both closer to curtain call than curtain jerk — will share the ring in a match loaded with nostalgia and mutual respect.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 19 May 2025
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
No bobbing, no jerking awake 40 times mid-flight with your mouth open and your neck tweaked.
—David Hochman, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Noun
And certainly not the asses of these preppy white people, these elitist jerks.
—Dawn Staley, New York Times, 20 May 2025
This weekend, two veterans — both closer to curtain call than curtain jerk — will share the ring in a match loaded with nostalgia and mutual respect.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 19 May 2025
Verb
Confused Lochlan, who thoughtfully jerked off his older brother so that Saxon wouldn’t feel left out.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
No bobbing, no jerking awake 40 times mid-flight with your mouth open and your neck tweaked.
—David Hochman, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk
Noun
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The catchy, melodious songs are carefully curated to tug at heartstrings, with lyrics that reflect similar memories and moments in one’s life.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
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Netflix has won out in a tug of war for Richard Linklater‘s Breathless homage Nouvelle Vague after its Cannes Film Festival debut in the competition.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
Weekend warriors yank out invasive plants to save L.A. River.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
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This month, officials yanked millions in tax receipts from restaurant sales as well as state marketing support, according to local affiliate ABC4.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
22 May 2025
Verb
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An input lag of 4.6 milliseconds in the TV's dedicated Game mode is speedy enough for twitch reflexes, and the panel refreshes at 120Hz and supports variable refresh rates.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
20 May 2025
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The sight of his twitching arm, middle finger raised, is a fun touch to an otherwise-underwhelming send-off.—
Gayle Sequeira,
Vulture,
16 May 2025
Verb
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In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (R) after a signing ceremony following their bilateral talks at Kumsusan state residence in Pyongyang, on June 19, 2024.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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This isn’t the first time Kotb’s amassed the courage to shake things up.—
Hannah Dylan Pasternak,
SELF,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Police brought in hundreds of law enforcement personnel with dogs, armored carriers, horses and helicopters that circled overhead.—
Maryclaire Dale, Marc Levy and Michael Rubinkam,
Anchorage Daily News,
13 Sep. 2023
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According to LifeLine, the DeKalb shelter takes in 135 dogs a week on average.—
Jim Gaines,
ajc,
13 Sep. 2023
Noun
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How to Pick a Hardware Color If choosing colorful knobs and pulls, Stephenson says her first move is to eliminate disliked colors.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2025
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Considering their pull with the UFC and PFL, could a superfight even happen?—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Juventus are lurching from one coach to the next with no real vision for the future, while the once-mighty AC Milan will miss out on Europe altogether next season and the likes of Fiorentina, Torino and Parma – all having won major trophies in the past – are shadows of their former selves.—
Adam Digby,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Wednesday’s primetime debate between the leaders of the five main political parties in the Great North has changed its start time to avoid clashing with a hockey game that could lurch the Montreal Canadiens into this year’s NHL playoffs.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Winner: Lenovo Legion Go S Tech Specs: Upscaling Is the Secret Sauce Gaming handhelds have to do it all—support the latest and greatest games while maintaining a form factor that can be tossed into your bookbag.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 June 2025
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Another tossed a traffic cone into the vehicle’s windshield, damaging it.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerk. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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