MEANING
To mock or challenge someone with remarks intended to upset or anger them.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- taunt an opponent
- cruel taunt
On the page
The guards taunted him with promises of release.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- taunt
- Past tense
- taunted
- Past participle
- taunted
- Present participle
- taunting
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- taunt
- Present continuous
- am/is/are taunting
- Present perfect
- have/has taunted
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been taunting
- Past
- taunted
- Past continuous
- was/were taunting
- Past perfect
- had taunted
- Past perfect continuous
- had been taunting
- Future
- will taunt
- Future continuous
- will be taunting
- Future perfect
- will have taunted
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been taunting
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: taunt; taunts; taunted; taunted; taunting Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: taunts.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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