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
Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 19 July 2025
Smith did not make any sudden jerks or movements as he was killed, the witnesses reported.
—Kirsten Fiscus, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Abhirup Roy, USA Today, 27 June 2025
And yes, her name does sound like jerk off, and yes, the show explicitly points this out instead of just trusting its audience.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Noun
Mid-performance, the prop jerks downward after slipping from its wire, causing a drop that nearly unseats her.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 19 July 2025
Smith did not make any sudden jerks or movements as he was killed, the witnesses reported.
—Kirsten Fiscus, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Verb
The passenger jerked forward and their belongings were thrown to the floor.
—Abhirup Roy, USA Today, 27 June 2025
And yes, her name does sound like jerk off, and yes, the show explicitly points this out instead of just trusting its audience.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for jerk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Japan's Defense Ministry reported recent Russian naval movements around the country, where a formation of three vessels—a submarine, a frigate, and a rescue tug—was spotted passing through the Tsushima Strait between Wednesday and Thursday, local time.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
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Images from Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed tugs spraying water on the front of the New Orleans.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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See, for example, Trump yanking the security clearances of former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Chris Krebs for his defense of the 2020 election as securely run.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
30 Aug. 2025
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This status explains why Moody’s Investors Service yanking away Washington’s last AAA rating in May didn’t tank the dollar.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
And according to researchers at the University of British Columbia, the part of the brainstem involved in the control of sleep cycles is underdeveloped in puppies, leading them to act out their dreams with twitching and growling more often.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Structure information summary Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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In Ghana, the impact of rapid urbanization is shaking once-rural localities.—
Taeya Boi-Doku,
JSTOR Daily,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The couple was seen taking a stroll on a N.Y.C. street with Bosworth's dog, Happy, on Tuesday.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
Peoplemag,
13 Sep. 2023
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This included four search dogs, three doctors, a diving team and a water extraction contingent, Tunisia’s state news agency TAP reported.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN,
13 Sep. 2023
Noun
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That constant pull between belonging and exclusion is what gives the term power.—
Alex Shoemaker,
Parents,
28 Aug. 2025
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Our loved ones are out there somewhere, perhaps needing us, and many feel a relentless pull towards home.—
Woniya Thibeault,
Outside,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
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In just 6 weeks, both long-term rates lurched upwards.—
George Calhoun,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The young quarterback tossed for 15 touchdowns, while turning the ball over four times in the air.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
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As the lesson droned on, the huge, inevitable poster on the classroom wall gave the students something arcane to look at and study as an alternative to dozing off and getting a tongue-lashing and possibly a piece of chalk tossed at your head.—
David Szondy
August 27,
New Atlas,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerk. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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