as in teasing
to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults
the principal reminded the student athletes that taunting their opponents was not showing good sportsmanship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taunting
Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Over just four days this month, Milei, an avid user of X, wrote 86 posts taunting and insulting journalists, according to an analysis of his feed between April 2 and 5 by prominent Argentine daily La Nación.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Myrsiades said Hennessey spotted a white Mercedes SUV linked to a suspect accused of making bomb threats and taunting local law enforcement agencies.
—Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Then, guards who worked for the contractor Critical Response Strategies began taunting detainees, threatening to enter the cage where immigrants were held.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
The hawks are practically taunting the populists for their lack of influence.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Doncic and the Lakers appealed the call after he was given a technical for taunting against Orlando Magic forward Goga Bitadze in Saturday’s Lakers win.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
His torturers shattered his hands and paraded him around the stadium, taunting him to try to play his guitar.
—Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026
Robinson picked up a technical foul for taunting after Nets rookie guard Nolan Traore appeared to undercut the Knicks’ big man on an alley-oop with roughly three minutes left in the second quarter.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Verb
For a brief moment, there was a new 48-hour countdown taunting us on Taylor Swift’s website.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Over just four days this month, Milei, an avid user of X, wrote 86 posts taunting and insulting journalists, according to an analysis of his feed between April 2 and 5 by prominent Argentine daily La Nación.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Myrsiades said Hennessey spotted a white Mercedes SUV linked to a suspect accused of making bomb threats and taunting local law enforcement agencies.
—Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Then, guards who worked for the contractor Critical Response Strategies began taunting detainees, threatening to enter the cage where immigrants were held.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
The hawks are practically taunting the populists for their lack of influence.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Doncic and the Lakers appealed the call after he was given a technical for taunting against Orlando Magic forward Goga Bitadze in Saturday’s Lakers win.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
His torturers shattered his hands and paraded him around the stadium, taunting him to try to play his guitar.
—Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026
Robinson picked up a technical foul for taunting after Nets rookie guard Nolan Traore appeared to undercut the Knicks’ big man on an alley-oop with roughly three minutes left in the second quarter.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taunting
Adjective
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To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The conversation includes some light teasing about each other’s attachment styles — the intimate banter of close friends.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
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On April 30, Beyoncé updated her website to feature a photo of Destiny’s Child alongside rock legend Stevie Nicks, teasing a potential collaboration.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Educators were fired for making insensitive comments about him on their personal social-media accounts; a firefighter in Toledo lost his job for posting a derisive eulogy on Facebook; various airline employees were suspended for disparaging Kirk online.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
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But this time, American allies have balked at Trump’s request to send warships to help transport oil through the strait, suggesting there is a limit to how far Europe will go to keep Trump onside in Ukraine and demonstrating the upshot of Trump’s derisive attitude toward alliances.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Reuters reported that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who hosted the dinner of some 200 people as co-chair of the World Economic Forum, ended the dinner after the heckling incident — before dessert was served.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
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Vice President Vance appeared on FOX News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle hours after the heckling incident, telling the host about visiting with the national guardsmen and discussing recent changes to the city, while briefly mentioning the protesters.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Then, Metric’s peak came on 2009’s Fantasies, which paired needling electronics with thumping drum programming; both it and its follow-up, Synthetica, hit the top 10 on the Canadian albums chart and went platinum in Canada.—
Ethan Beck,
Pitchfork,
4 May 2026
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For power users, this sort of thing can’t help but read as needling, even petty platform quirks.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taunting. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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