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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunting
Verb
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Seinfeld was clearly teasing, but sure enough, several headlines reported it as gospel with perhaps a mention three paragraphs in that it was intended to be humorous.—
Jenelle Riley,
Variety,
6 Jan. 2025 -
Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk are teasing the third and final season of the Netflix series.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Yet their box-office take was negligible, and many reviews were not just negative but derisive.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2025
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Fans gave up and drew national attention for paying planes to circle the stadium with derisive banners.—
Matt Baker,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Bannon talked over and through Newsom’s questions, goading the governor at certain points, gently mocking him at others.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
20 Mar. 2025
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In the essay, the 37-year-old recalled how Trachtenberg was often bullied by their peers, with kids mocking her for her role in Harriet the Spy.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
19 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Taunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunting. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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