Jerk — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈjərk/

Meaning & Definition of Jerk

Jerk (noun)

  1. an annoyingly stupid or foolish person
  2. an unlikable person; especially, one who is cruel, rude, or small-minded
  3. a single quick motion of short duration
  4. a sweet and spicy dish of Jamaican origin that typically consists of pieces of meat, seafood, or vegetables that are marinated (as with green onion, thyme, allspice, chili pepper, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon) and barbecued —often used before another noun

Jerk (verb)

  1. to give a quick suddenly arrested push, pull, or twist to
  2. to propel or move with or as if with a quick suddenly arrested motion
  3. to mix and serve (drinks, such as sodas) behind a soda fountain
  4. to prepare or marinate (meat, seafood, or vegetables) in the style of Jamaican jerk
  5. to preserve (meat) in long dried slices

Jerk (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person whose behavior is offensive to others

    "his constant rudeness and insensitivity made everyone think he was a real jerk"

    similar: bastard, beast, bleeder (British), blighter (chiefly British), boor, bounder, bugger, buzzard, cad, chuff, churl, clown, creep, cretin, crud (slang), crumb (slang), cur, dirtbag (slang), dog, fink, heel, hound, joker, louse, lout, pill, rat, rat fink, reptile, rotter, schmuck (slang), scum, scumbag (slang), scuzzball (slang), skunk, sleaze, sleazebag (slang), sleazeball (slang), slime, slimeball (slang), slob, snake, so-and-so, sod (chiefly British), stinkard, stinker, swine, toad, varmint, vermin, son of a gun
    related: barbarian, brute, caveman, Neanderthal, savage, loudmouth, vulgarian, lowlife, miscreant, rascal, rogue, roughneck, scab, scamp, scoundrel, villain, wretch, booby, doofus (slang), fool, jackass, nincompoop, ninny, nit (chiefly British), nitwit, nut, schmo (slang), airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, dink (slang), dolt, dope, dork (slang), goon, half-wit, idiot, imbecile, moron, turkey, brat, insolent, nuisance, pest, snip, snob, snoot, snot, dweeb (slang), nerd
    near: hero, heroine, idol, role model, gentleman, lady, angel, saint

  2. the act or an instance of applying force on something so that it moves in the direction of the force

    "guided the rowboat with a jerk of the rope"

    similar: draw, haul, pluck, pull, tug, wrench, yank
    related: drag, tow, hitch, twitch, grab, snatch
    opposite: push
    near: heave, shove, thrust

Jerk (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: buck, hitch, hoick, jolt, twitch, yank
    related: bump, jounce, lurch, pitch, stagger, jig, jiggle, jog, joggle, shake, drag, lug, pull, tug, pluck, tweak, grab, rip, snap (up), snatch, tear, wrench, wrest, wring

  2. to make jerky or restless movements

    "you've got to quit jerking, or the barber will nick you by accident"

    similar: fiddle, fidget, jig, jiggle, squiggle, squirm, thrash, thresh, toss, twist, twitch, wiggle, wriggle, writhe
    related: flit, flutter, twitter, quake, quiver, shake, shiver, shudder, tremble, pace
    near: relax, rest, unwind, calm (down), still

  3. to make a series of small irregular or violent movements

    "the car jerked with every shift of the gear"

    similar: agitate, bucket, convulse, jiggle, joggle, jolt, jounce, judder (chiefly British), quake, quiver, shake, shudder, vibrate, wobble
    related: rock, sway, swing, chatter, quaver, shiver, thrill, tremble, twitch, dodder, waver, flicker, fluctuate, flutter, oscillate, undulate, wave, beat, palpitate, pit-a-pat, pitter-patter, pulsate, pulse, throb

Related Entry: Jerk around (verb)

Jerk around is a different word from Jerk. The synonyms below are for jerk around, not for jerk.

  1. as in manipulate, mistreat

    similar: manipulate, mistreat, abuse, capitalize (on), cash in (on), exploit, impose (on or upon), leverage, milk, pimp, play (on or upon), use, work, bleed, cheat, fleece, overcharge, skin, soak, stick, commercialize, commodify

Related Entry: Knee-jerk (adjective)

Knee-jerk is a different word from Jerk. The synonyms below are for knee-jerk, not for jerk.

  1. done instantly and without conscious thought or decision

    "a colleague known for her knee-jerk rejection of any proposal that she didn't originate"

    similar: automatic, instinctive, instinctual, involuntary, mechanic, mechanical, robotic, spontaneous
    related: conditioned, natural, Pavlovian, reactive, reflex, simple, subliminal, unconscious, unforced, visceral, blind, inadvertent, unintended, unintentional, unwilling, unwitting, abrupt, quick, ready, sudden, ad-lib, extemporaneous, extempore, impromptu, improvised, offhand, offhanded, off-the-cuff, snap, spur-of-the-moment, unconsidered, unplanned, unpremeditated, unprepared, unprompted, unreasoned, unrehearsed, unstudied, casual, chance, chancy, haphazard, hasty, hit-or-miss, impetuous, impulsive, mindless, random, rash
    near: calculated, conscious, cultivated, deliberate, designed, intended, intentional, predetermined, prepared, projected, refined, rehearsed, volitional, voluntary, willed, willful, advised, aforethought, careful, considered, foresighted, forethoughtful, measured, meticulous, reasoned, studied, thoughtful

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Jerk

The most common words with a similar meaning to Jerk:

Slang: crud, crumb, dirtbag, schmuck, scumbag, scuzzball, sleazebag, sleazeball, slimeball
Chiefly British: blighter, sod, judder
British: bleeder
bastard, beast, boor, bounder, bugger, buzzard, cad, chuff, churl, clown, creep, cretin, cur, dog, fink, heel, hound, joker, louse, lout, pill, rat, rat fink, reptile, rotter, scum, skunk, sleaze, slime, slob, snake, so-and-so, stinkard, stinker, swine, toad, varmint, vermin, draw, haul

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Jerk

Words with the opposite meaning of Jerk:

push

Related Words for Jerk

barbarian, brute, caveman, Neanderthal, savage, loudmouth, vulgarian, lowlife, miscreant, rascal, rogue, roughneck, scab, scamp, scoundrel, villain, wretch, booby, doofus, fool, jackass, nincompoop, ninny, nit, nitwit, nut, schmo, airhead, birdbrain, blockhead

Near Antonyms of Jerk

hero, heroine, idol, role model, gentleman, lady, angel, saint, heave, shove, thrust, relax, rest, unwind, calm (down), still

Word Forms of Jerk

Inflections: jerked, jerking, jerks

Derived words: jerker (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Jerk

derivative of jerk:2; (sense 1) probably short for jerk-off "stupid or foolish person," noun derivative of jerk off

First known use: 1575

Words & Phrases Containing Jerk

jerk around, jerk off, circle jerk, clean and jerk, knee-jerk, knee jerk

Frequently Asked Questions about Jerk

What does "Jerk" mean?

"Jerk" means an annoyingly stupid or foolish person. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an annoyingly stupid or foolish person. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Jerk"?

Other words for "Jerk" include bastard, beast, bleeder, blighter, boor, bounder, bugger and buzzard. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Jerk" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Jerk"?

There are 180 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Jerk". Common alternatives include bastard, beast, bleeder, blighter, boor, bounder, bugger, buzzard, cad and chuff.

What is a slang word for "Jerk"?

Slang words for "Jerk" include crud, crumb, dirtbag, schmuck, scumbag and scuzzball.

What is the opposite of "Jerk"?

Antonyms of "Jerk" include push. Near antonyms include hero, heroine, idol and role model.

How do you use "Jerk" in a sentence?

Examples of "Jerk" in a sentence: "his constant rudeness and insensitivity made everyone think he was a real jerk"; "guided the rowboat with a jerk of the rope"; "I jerked to one side to avoid getting hit".

Is "Jerk" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Jerk" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Jerk"?

"Jerk" is pronounced /ˈjərk/.