1
as in yanking
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
I jerked to one side to avoid getting hit jerked the leash to get the dog's attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in twitching
to make jerky or restless movements
you've got to quit jerking, or the barber will nick you by accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in shaking
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the car jerked with every shift of the gear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jerking
The story follows a Jewish family across five generations, from childhood to adulthood, blending laughs and tear-jerking moments, just like in Bob-Waksberg’s other shows.
—
Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Tear-jerking purple prose designed to make a Baby Boomer nostalgic and sad.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Gradually, as a meandering narrative comes to focus on the case of Hisashi (Ojiro Nakamura), a cheery young boy awaiting a heart transplant, the film’s intellectual and emotional interests come to a satisfying (and aggressively tear-jerking) head.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
There are some heartfelt, tear-jerking moments this season.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2025
Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Tear-jerking purple prose designed to make a Baby Boomer nostalgic and sad.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Gradually, as a meandering narrative comes to focus on the case of Hisashi (Ojiro Nakamura), a cheery young boy awaiting a heart transplant, the film’s intellectual and emotional interests come to a satisfying (and aggressively tear-jerking) head.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
There are some heartfelt, tear-jerking moments this season.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jerking
Verb
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But some lawmakers say that argument is baseless and that yanking the grants has left the state less equipped to prevent tragedies like this week’s attack at Annunciation Catholic School.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
30 Aug. 2025
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See, for example, Trump yanking the security clearances of former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Chris Krebs for his defense of the 2020 election as securely run.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Koberidze opens with a montage of cats, foot traffic, street dogs twitching in their sleep, statues and trees casting long shadows across buildings.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
17 Aug. 2025
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Prater, who was expecting gory details, is a little harder to read, though his face twitching doesn’t seem like a great sign.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Practice rounds sometimes turn into showcases of raw talent, the kind that leave teammates shaking their heads at the sound off his club face.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
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Police alleged that the brain bleed was consistent with shaking an infant.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Running back Henry Rutledge is awaiting the results of an MRI for a lower-body injury after pulling himself after playing five snaps against North Carolina.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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Companies that committed to DEI efforts and made public statements are now pulling back from those policies, editing their websites, disbanding employee resource groups, and quietly abandoning inclusive hiring goals.—
C200,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Applause intermingled with tears as the families of the Camp Mystic campers and counselors looked on, many with small children fidgeting in their Sunday-best attire behind the governor.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Andy sighed, shuddering between them.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
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The White House will be well aware of this fact, particularly in an environment where fiscally conservative Republicans will be shuddering at Uncle Sam’s $37 trillion (and growing) national debt.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
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The result, nearly eight months into his second term, is an economy that appears to be lurching into a new era of state control.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But the way Herbert flashed early in his career, tossing seven touchdown passes and only one interception in a 2021 season sweep of the defending AFC champion Chiefs, had come to feel like a tease.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Harrell’s improvement After a slow start against the Mountaineers in the Duke’s Mayo Classic, tossing an interception and completing just 54% of his passes, Harrell showed slight improvements against the Tar Heels’ defense.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jerking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jerking. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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