ridicule

1 of 2

noun

rid·​i·​cule ˈri-də-ˌkyül 

: the act of ridiculing : derision, mockery

ridicule

2 of 2

verb

ridiculed; ridiculing

transitive verb

: to make fun of

ridiculer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• contempt
• disdain
• derision
• laughter

Verb

• mock

Choose the Right Synonym for ridicule

ridicule, deride, mock, taunt mean to make an object of laughter of.

ridicule implies a deliberate often malicious belittling.

consistently ridiculed everything she said

deride suggests contemptuous and often bitter ridicule.

derided their efforts to start their own business

mock implies scorn often ironically expressed as by mimicry or sham deference.

the other kids mocked the way he laughed

taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge.

hometown fans taunted the visiting team

Examples of ridicule in a Sentence

Noun

She didn't show anyone her artwork for fear of ridicule.

the early efforts by the suffragists to obtain voting rights for women were met with ridicule

Verb

The other kids ridiculed him for the way he dressed.

They ridiculed all of her suggestions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What’s easy to forget about those willing to risk it all in the face of endless ridicule is that there are stumbles along the way. —John Tamny, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025

Meanwhile, Dustin mourns the loss of Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), who died in season 4, and is still the subject of ridicule from the town due to his alternative lifestyle even after his death. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 16 July 2025

Verb

From the earliest days of Greek drama Herakles is ridiculed for his brutish way of eating his food, his preference for a good meal versus a good woman and, in Aristophanes’s The Bird, even his reluctance to leave a barbecue in order to help save his own father. —John Mariani, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025

That audio clip has been shared some 60,000 times on TikTok, often by Venezuelans ridiculing the notion that everybody from their country is a gangster. —ProPublica, 23 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French or Latin; French, from Latin ridiculum jest

First Known Use

Noun

1675, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1680, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ridicule

• hold (someone) up to (public) ridicule
• self-ridicule
• subject/object of ridicule

Rhymes for ridicule

• minuscule
• molecule
• overrule
• poiseuille
• reticule
• vestibule
• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool

Kids Definition

ridicule

1 of 2 noun

rid·​i·​cule ˈrid-ə-ˌkyü(ə)l 

: the act of making fun of someone or something : derision

ridicule

2 of 2 verb

ridiculed; ridiculing

: to make fun of : deride

ridiculer noun