as in to play (on or upon)
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Recent Examples of jerk around
The shocking news out of this summer’s Olympic break-dancing competition in Paris wasn’t that a female Australian competitor had hopped and jerked around like Uma Thurman being revived from a drug coma in Pulp Fiction.
—
Christian Schneider, National Review, 24 Oct. 2024
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons Category: Starter to star After a year where the former lottery pick was jerked around in regard to minutes, role, and even on-court responsibilities, Ivey is now set to enter his third year, finally with some stability attached to his name.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
The camera jerks around to emphasize the Captain’s growing panic.
—Terry Nguyen, Vulture, 19 May 2024
For a population like Gaza’s, there’s not enough food, people have been jerked around from place to place.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 8 May 2024
The guy in the center seat where the stringer was tied off noticed it was being jerked around.
—Idaho Statesman, 2 Mar. 2016
The design stopped us from being jerked around when dogs were pulling, and the padded handle was comfortable to grip, as well.
—Camryn Rabideau, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024
One senses that these men are accustomed to being jerked around by the state.
—Alejandro Chacoff, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2023
Christian Schneider, National Review, 24 Oct. 2024
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons Category: Starter to star After a year where the former lottery pick was jerked around in regard to minutes, role, and even on-court responsibilities, Ivey is now set to enter his third year, finally with some stability attached to his name.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
The camera jerks around to emphasize the Captain’s growing panic.
—Terry Nguyen, Vulture, 19 May 2024
For a population like Gaza’s, there’s not enough food, people have been jerked around from place to place.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 8 May 2024
The guy in the center seat where the stringer was tied off noticed it was being jerked around.
—Idaho Statesman, 2 Mar. 2016
The design stopped us from being jerked around when dogs were pulling, and the padded handle was comfortable to grip, as well.
—Camryn Rabideau, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024
One senses that these men are accustomed to being jerked around by the state.
—Alejandro Chacoff, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerk around
Verb
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It could be manipulated by the therapist or simply placed in the correct position by the individual.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
20 Apr. 2025
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This is not a new accusation and in the past Fauci and the paper authors disagreed with the accusations that the paper was manipulated or had any specific goal.—
Youri Benadjaoud,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The team used surrogate dogs -- since adopted through the humane society -- to help give birth to the dire wolves, which are white.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Prosecutors said Mahdi constantly used brutality to solve his problems.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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At the Willow Street property, officers arrested Bili Ruan, 50, of San Jose, on suspicion of pimping, Garibay said.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Another one let her cocaine-dealing thug son use her car before the kid went to federal prison for pimping.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Attorneys from the Downs Law Group, representing Gremillion and about 100 others in cases against BP, say the company leveraged procedural technicalities to block victims from getting their day in court.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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Advertise services on neighborhood apps like Nextdoor, distribute flyers at local pet stores, and leverage family connections for initial clients.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Behind her glamorous exterior, the real Dorothy was a closeted lesbian who struggled with substance abuse and was mistreated by the men within Hollywood’s studio system before ultimately committing suicide.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
17 Apr. 2025
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English, who denies the allegations, is at least the second state legislator to be investigated for allegedly mistreating aides in the past year.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Donald Trump is abusing the levers of government to launch an attack against New York Attorney General Tish James on what seem to be pretty flimsy claims of fraud.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
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The ways in which these attackers have abused Google’s email system clearly needs to be patched.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerk around.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerk%20around. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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