heckle

Synonym Chooser

How is the word heckle distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of heckle are badger, bait, chivy, hector, and hound. While all these words mean "to harass by efforts to break down," heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

Where would badger be a reasonable alternative to heckle?

The meanings of badger and heckle largely overlap; however, badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

When might bait be a better fit than heckle?

While in some cases nearly identical to heckle, bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

When can chivy be used instead of heckle?

The words chivy and heckle can be used in similar contexts, but chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

When is hector a more appropriate choice than heckle?

The synonyms hector and heckle are sometimes interchangeable, but hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

When would hound be a good substitute for heckle?

Although the words hound and heckle have much in common, hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of heckle Minutes after Trump began his address to Congress on Tuesday night, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) heckled the president. The Hill Staff, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2025 During Joe Biden’s presidency, a number of Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), heckled him. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2025 Footage of North Carolina Representative Chuck Edwards, a Republican, being heckled at a town hall event in Asheville on Thursday has gone viral on social media, racking up more than a million views. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 Many fans showered Fox with adulation while others heckled him from a distance. Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heckle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heckle
Verb
  • So when Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love finishes a 24-yard scramble by puffing his chest and taunting Jarrett, the response is far from surprising.
    Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Cybertrucks have been egged (in this economy!) and smeared with dog poop, and Tesla drivers are regularly taunted by Nazi salutes and signs left on their cars.
    Chandra Steele, PCMAG, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • As OpenAI rolls out Sora to more users, expanding access to additional countries and teasing a potential ChatGPT integration, developers may be incentivized to address issues of bias further.
    Reece Rogers, WIRED, 23 Mar. 2025
  • This year, the star has teased new music, sharing occasional studio photos on Instagram.
    Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The plans, mocked up by Populous, include a sky bar overlooking the pitch, a stadium roof-walk experience, a 3,000-capacity fan zone, a 400-bed hotel (part of the Radisson group), a new club shop and museum.
    Tom Burrows, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Social media trends come and go, but one craze that appears to have outstayed its welcome is the desire to mock millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996).
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Heckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heckle. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on heckle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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