heckler

American  

[hek-ler, hek-uh-ler] / ˈhɛk lər, ˈhɛk ə lər /

noun

1. a person who harasses a public speaker or performer with impertinent questions, insults, etc..

   As a comedian, you have to face any hecklers in the crowd head-on and deal with them, because if you don't, they can take over the show.

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Etymology

Origin of heckler

heckle ( def. ) + -er ¹

Explanation

Have you ever screamed horrible things during a sports event, or taunted someone with cruel jokes? You might be a heckler, and you’re probably not very well-liked. The word heckler is rooted in an old Dutch verb that means “to irritate, prickle,” and hecklers can be irritating indeed. They sit at baseball games and yell insults at the players, or start booing during a spelling bee. Some comedians love hecklers and often will start heckling them back. Other comedians will jump off stage and attack a heckler — so keep that in mind if you feel like adding heckler to your résumé.

Example Sentences

Speaking over the occasional heckler, he told the crowd: “My life, your life, all of our lives are better off for the companies and the things that billionaires have done for California.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

The heckler has been suspended by Ford, the United Auto Workers union told the BBC's US partner, CBS News.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

Youssef grinned, teased the unseen heckler for missing the half-dozen nods he’d already dropped, and finally waved an arm toward the wings: “Put your hands together for Zohran Mamdani!”

From Slate • Jun. 30, 2025

Pham then motioned for the heckler to come onto the field, where presumably he would address the spat once and for all, man to man.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2025

When a stand-up puts down a heckler, he has to do so by being funnier: compelling laughter, very directly, gets the audience on his side.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Related Words

• dissident
• militant