: It is frequently used by bullies and narcissistic individuals to belittle others, compensate for their own feelings of powerlessness, or retaliate for perceived slights.

: Organized sports bodies, like the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association , define taunting as "trash talk" or physical intimidation intended to ridicule an opponent's skills or identity. Video Games :

In sports and gaming, taunting is both a mental tactic and a literal mechanic:

: In tabletop systems like Savage Worlds , Taunt is often a skill roll against a target's "Smarts" to inflict status penalties or distractions. Linguistic Distinctions