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tauntingly

tauntingly

1 7.5
In a way that makes fun of someone to upset them
  • adverb
  • /ˈtɔːntɪŋli/
  • Offensive
translation icon : con sorna
  • Tori's left hand braced tauntingly against her hip.

Examples

  • "I ain't afraid of no ghosts," she sang tauntingly.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Sarah yells out to him tauntingly, and the plainclothesman, who is licking ice cream off his wrist, looks up at her window suspiciously.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Yet there was something tauntingly familiar about the shape of the eyes.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • "She waved vaguely toward the kitchen, but then let out a musical laugh that spiraled upwards, tauntingly.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Tauntingly, he says, "H'lo, Ben -- how's it going?" and Ben Breuer glances up guiltily, as if he's just now seen Michael.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • It's the moment before the pregame show in which the USC drum major majestically—or is that tauntingly?—plants a sword in the middle of the opponent's field.

    Blog text (10)
  • She smiled tauntingly at him after winning the game, enjoying his disappointment.

  • He replied tauntingly, saying he would never let her win again.

  • The dog barked tauntingly at the cat on the fence, urging it to come down.

Synonyms

mockingly
vstauntingly
9 5.6

In a way that makes fun of someone to show you do not respect them

is often lighter and can be playful rather than pure scorn
derisively
vstauntingly
  • Offensive
6 7.3

In a mocking way that shows you think someone is foolish

is usually more playful and less contemptuous in tone
contemptuously
vstauntingly
4 7.5

In a way that shows you have no respect for someone or something

is often more teasing and less deeply disrespectful in intent
teasingly
vstauntingly
3 3.7

In a playful way that makes someone laugh or feel a little annoyed

is more likely to mock or ridicule rather than just play
mischievously
vstauntingly
3 4.6

In a playful way that causes small trouble to make people laugh

is more about ridicule or provocation rather than mere mischief
archly
vstauntingly
1 7.9

In a playful, teasing way that shows sly amusement

is more openly mocking or provoking than sly play
cheekily
vstauntingly
  • Informal
1 6.2

In a rude but playful way that shows little respect

is more mocking and aiming to provoke rather than playful boldness
banteringly
vstauntingly
  • Informal
7.7

In a playful, teasing way that shows you are joking

is closer to mocking and can feel hurtful rather than light
saucily
vstauntingly
  • Informal
7.7

In a bold, playful way that shows little respect

is more intended to mock or ridicule than to amuse
jeeringly
vstauntingly
  • Offensive
8.3

In a mocking way to make fun of someone

is usually less noisy and more like teasing or provocation
gibingly
vstauntingly
  • Archaic
9.9

In a mocking way that shows dislike and makes someone feel small

is often more playful and less sharply insulting in tone
scoffingly
vstauntingly
  • Offensive
8.6

In a rude way that shows you think someone is silly

is more likely to tease playfully rather than show contempt

Antonyms

1 3.3

In a way that helps and encourages someone

How Mocking

derisively
  • Offensive
6 7.3
mockingly
9 5.6
tauntingly
  • Offensive
1 7.5
teasingly
3 3.7
playfully
18 1.4

Surface Forms

tauntingly positive

Morphology

tauntingly = taunting (transparent) = taunt + ing + ly

Formed by adding the productive adverbial suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'taunting', giving the clear meaning 'in a taunting way'.

Etymology

Tauntingly comes from the verb taunt, which means 'to tease or mock'. A helpful image is someone waving a prize or sticking out their tongue to make another person feel small, so to act tauntingly is to behave in that teasing, provoking way.