Meaning & use

taunt

verb·Everyday

To provoke or mock someone with insulting remarks in order to anger or upset them.

See it in a sentence

The rival fans taunted the losing team as they walked off the field.

He taunted his brother about the missed goal until their mother told him to stop.

A note on using this word

Implies deliberate, repeated provocation, stronger than simple teasing, which can be affectionate rather than hostile.

Words with a similar meaning

mockjeer

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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