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Taunt vs. Taut
Taunt and taut may easily be confused. The words are similar in spelling and pronunciation, though the resemblance does not extent to their syntax or meanings. Taut is an adjective that is most often used to refer to something that is pulled tight, like "a taut rope," or is bulging or filled to capacity, like "taut muscles." Taunt is a noun and a verb that refers to teasing or making fun of a person. That the two words sound similar creates confusion, and taunt, being the more common word, is sometimes substituted for taut. You can remember the difference between the two by remembering that tight and taut both lack the n of taunt.
Examples of taunt in a Sentence
Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025
Investigators said that before he was arrested, Tabler called the Bell County Sheriff’s Office to taunt deputies about the murders and threatened to kill more employees and undercover law enforcement at the strip club.
—Jim Vertuno and Michael Graczyk, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025
Playful taunts after a Livingstone player missed two free throws ... that can’t be repeated in a family-friendly newspaper.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 22 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Taunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taunt. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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