jeer
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
jeers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
jeered,
past participle, past
-
jeering
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
jeers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
jeered,
past participle, past
-
jeering
present participle
noun
noun
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See scoff 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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jeersimple
-
jeerssimple
-
have jeeredperfect
-
has jeeredperfect
-
am jeeringprogressive
-
are jeeringprogressive
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is jeeringprogressive
-
have been jeeringperfect progressive
-
has been jeeringperfect progressive
Past
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jeeredsimple
-
had jeeredperfect
-
was jeeringprogressive
-
were jeeringprogressive
-
had been jeeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jeer1
1555–65; origin uncertain; compare Old English cēir clamor, akin to cēgan to call out
Origin of jeer2
First recorded in 1485–95; origin uncertain
Explanation
As a noun, jeer is the act of scoffing, taunting, or mocking. Think of it as an anti-cheer. If you offer cheers for the visiting team and jeers for the home team, you might not be too popular in the stands. As a verb, jeer means to laugh at in a mean way. Even if you did forget the words to the national anthem, it wasn't polite for the crowd to jeer. But don't feel too bad: the last singer remembered all the words and they jeered her anyway! Tough crowd.
Vocabulary lists containing jeer
List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The phrase carries a derisive jeer, a suggestion that anyone born into fame and wealth gets to glide through life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
Many say they plan to jeer him or otherwise protest his presence.
From New York Times ● May 25, 2024
It is not the whole crowd, most fans want to cheer on their team and jeer you.
From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2024
After those remarks, the crowd continued to jeer at the performers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2023
When they looked into each other’s faces, they realized that their noses were now much bigger than they had been before, and this made them jeer.
From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith
Big jeers to hotels where front-desk clerks greet you not with a warm hello, but a rote, “ID and credit card, please.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
The boss of German carmaker Volkswagen warned workers on Tuesday to brace for more job losses, earning boos and jeers from the crowd, as the crisis-hit company faces a drastic round of cost-cutting.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
As McDonnell spoke, the commission room erupted in jeers as several people accused the chief of misrepresenting what happened.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
And while Grande later insisted the break was pre-planned and not “reactive or impulsive,” there’s no doubt the announcement was timed to dull the cacophony of both the jeers and cheers.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
Our Dauntless guards lead us to the center of the room, where we are greeted with, at best, murmurs, and at worst, jeers.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
Littler has also been jeered at numerous events in the UK.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Venezuelans jeered acting president Delcy Rodríguez and mocked National Guard troops, while some U.S. lawmakers criticized the government for allegedly limiting aid access.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
A heavily jeered $250m goldmine - are hydration break ads here to stay?
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
At others, he does so little defending that he is openly jeered inside the Bernabeu Stadium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
He sneered and jeered and raised old scandals, and would not stop making everyone there miserable until Thor arrived at the feast.
From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman
Blume's speech was repeatedly interrupted by jeering and whistling, a person present at the meeting told AFP, and workers held aloft signs saying: "Don't balance your books with our jobs".
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
“This is a family town,” the arresting officer tells jeering onlookers as he and the two others handcuff Gamble.
From Slate ● May 4, 2026
“I know many of the members across the House will find these facts to be incredible,” Starmer said to jeering lawmakers on Monday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
A video shows the crowd jeering at the officers as they’re being escorted out of the area by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
Indeed, for almost any utterance that a rabbit in this dreadful situation could find to make, Vervain was unthinkingly ready with one or other of a stock of jeering rejoinders.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
