Meaning & use
jerking
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“jerking” is a form of “jerk”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Moving suddenly and sharply in a way that is not smooth, as a body or vehicle does.
Grammar: No object: the car was jerking forward.
Patterns
- jerking forward
- jerking about
The old bus kept jerking forward in the traffic.
His leg was jerking in his sleep.
The puppet was jerking across the stage.
verbtransitive
Pulling or pushing something with a sudden, quick movement.
Grammar: Takes an object: jerking the rope.
Patterns
- jerk something open
- jerk something away
She was jerking the door handle, but it would not open.
He kept jerking the fishing line to attract the fish.
The child was jerking her hand away from the hot stove.
verbintransitive
Moving the head or body suddenly because of surprise, pain or a muscle reflex.
Grammar: Often followed by up, back or awake.
Patterns
- jerk awake
- jerk back
He was jerking awake every few minutes on the train.
Her head was jerking back with each laugh.
The patient's muscles were jerking after the shock.
Word forms
| base form | jerk |
|---|---|
| third person singular | jerks |
| past tense | jerked |
| past participle | jerked |
Common combinations
- jerking motion
- The robot moved with a jerking motion.
- jerking awake
- He kept jerking awake on the long bus ride.
- jerking forward
- The train was jerking forward as it left the station.
- jerking the leash
- She was jerking the leash while the dog pulled.
- jerking sound
- A jerking sound came from the old engine.
Synonyms and how they differ
- twitching
- Twitching is smaller and often involuntary, while jerking can be a larger movement of the whole body or an object.
- yanking
- Yanking is informal and always involves pulling hard on something, whereas jerking is also used for the body moving suddenly.
- lurching
- Lurching means swaying heavily forward or sideways, often of a vehicle, while jerking is shorter and sharper.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: jerking or jerky?
jerking vs jerky
Jerky as an adjective means moving unsmoothly, but jerky as a noun is dried strips of meat.
Practice
The old elevator was ___ between floors, and everyone grabbed the rail.
Choose one answer.
Jerking describes sudden, uneven movement. Gliding and sliding suggest smooth motion, which would not make people grab the rail.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jerking”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.