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

There, Gauthier, who was drafted by Philly but opted not to sign with the Flyers, was heckled relentlessly while his would-have-been teammates and former Duck Jamie Drysdale (one goal, one assist) ran roughshod over the Ducks, 6-0. —Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 13 Jan. 2025

Budden’s embarrassing moment led to heckling from fans, as well as rappers such as Maino and Jim Jones, both of whom advised that Budden keep his clothes on moving forward. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 Jan. 2025

At another book talk in Massachusetts in October, Pelosi was also heckled by pro-Palestinian activists. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Ryan blamed the attack on her lack of focus and in-ring mistakes and seemed shaken by heckling fans. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024

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

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