jeer

1 of 2

verb

ˈjir How to pronounce jeer (audio)
jeered; jeering; jeers
Synonyms of jeer

intransitive verb

: to speak or cry out with derision or mockery
a jeering mob

transitive verb

: to deride with mocking and insulting remarks or sounds : taunt
was jeered by the crowd when he tried to speak
jeerer noun
jeeringly
ˈjir-iŋ-lē How to pronounce jeer (audio)
adverb

jeer

2 of 2

noun

: a mocking and insulting remark or sound : taunt
the jeers of the crowd

Synonyms of jeer

Relevance

Verb

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for jeer

scoff, jeer, gibe, fleer, sneer, flout mean to show one's contempt in derision or mockery.

scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision.

scoffed at their concerns

jeer suggests a coarser more undiscriminating derision.

the crowd jeered at the prisoners

gibe implies taunting either good-naturedly or in sarcastic derision.

hooted and gibed at the umpire

fleer suggests grinning or grimacing derisively.

the saucy jackanapes fleered at my credulity

sneer stresses insulting by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice.

sneered at anything romantic

flout stresses contempt shown by refusal to heed.

flouted the conventions of polite society

Examples of jeer in a Sentence

Verb He tried to ignore the jeering crowd. The crowd jeered him when he struck out. The prisoner was jeered by an angry mob. Noun ignored the jeers of the other team's fans and just focused on making her free throw shot
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Gibson, 70, waved at attendees at the Fan Expo Canada panel Saturday in Toronto, before appearing to jeer behind an American Sign Language (ASL) translator on stage at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026 When the visitors' lineup and Skubal were shown on the videoboard and his name was announced before the first pitch, most of the crowd at Comerica Park clapped for the two-time Cy Young Award winner while some jeered him. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
Losing has bred frustration and, with it, the soundtrack of the Angels’ summer consists of frustrated jeers and urges for Moreno to be out. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Instagram rolled out a new logo last week — which instantly drew jeers from some users. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jeer

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

Noun

derivative of jeer entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1561, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jeer was in 1561

Rhymes for jeer

See All Rhymes for jeer

Browse Nearby Words

jeepney
jeer
jeerer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeer. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

jeer

verb
ˈji(ə)r
: to laugh at or criticize someone in a loud and angry way
jeer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on jeer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about jeer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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