heckle

verb

heck·​le ˈhe-kəl 

heckled; heckling ˈhe-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to harass and try to disconcert with questions, challenges, or gibes : badger

Synonyms

• bait
• hassle
• haze
• needle
• ride
• taunt
• tease

Choose the Right Synonym for heckle

bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down.

bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

Examples of heckle in a Sentence

Several protesters were heckling the speaker at the rally.

The players were being heckled by the fans.

People in the crowd were booing and heckling as she tried to speak.

Recent Examples on the Web

Electronics aside, yelling, heckling and the use of profanity are also direct violations of gallery etiquette and could result in removal from the event. —Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025

Whiteley and company don’t shy from the moment that Duran calls a heckling fan the f-word mid-game and several of the non-playing talking heads — sportswriters, various Fenway employees — are unflinchingly critical. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025

The attacks against Musk’s Tesla vehicles have come against the backdrop of an already agitated electorate, who in recent weeks have heckled lawmakers at town halls across the country about the tech billionaire and DOGE. —Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 21 Mar. 2025

Some heckled and booed Meiner, who shot back that the crowd was censoring him. —Martin Vassolo, Axios, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hekelen to dress flax, scratch, from heckele hackle; akin to Old High German hāko hook — more at hook

First Known Use

circa 1825, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for heckle

• decal
• freckle
• meckel
• shekel
• speckle
• thecal

Kids Definition

heckle

verb

heck·​le ˈhek-əl 

heckled; heckling -(ə-)liŋ 

: to interrupt with questions or comments usually with the intention of annoying or hindering

were heckling the speaker

heckler

-(ə-)lər 

noun