as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the derisive performances of some of the singers on the talent show
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Recent Examples of derisive
Yet their box-office take was negligible, and many reviews were not just negative but derisive.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Fans gave up and drew national attention for paying planes to circle the stadium with derisive banners.
—Matt Baker, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Proponents of the fintech industry call the arrangement Banking-as-a-Service, while the detractors, primarily those concerned with the safety and soundness of the overall financial system, have used the derisive name rent-a-charter.
—Gene A. Grant Ii, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
No matter its critics or the accumulation of derisive labels—corporate feminism, girlboss feminism, lean-in feminism, white feminism—a feminism of self-interested striving is the order of the day.
—Hazlitt, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for derisive
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Fans gave up and drew national attention for paying planes to circle the stadium with derisive banners.
—Matt Baker, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Proponents of the fintech industry call the arrangement Banking-as-a-Service, while the detractors, primarily those concerned with the safety and soundness of the overall financial system, have used the derisive name rent-a-charter.
—Gene A. Grant Ii, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
No matter its critics or the accumulation of derisive labels—corporate feminism, girlboss feminism, lean-in feminism, white feminism—a feminism of self-interested striving is the order of the day.
—Hazlitt, 4 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for derisive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derisive
Adjective
-
And finally… As bad as some teams are, the rule that every club must be represented at the All-Star Game borders on ridiculous.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
Even for a show that’s famous for its silliness, this is a ridiculous storyline.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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The College World Series semifinals concluded Wednesday, allowing Houston Astros manager Joe Espada another chance to marvel at an absurd ascension.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
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The nutrient can indeed help with all of those, but sometimes, the claims turn absurd.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Jeff: This has been such a silly way to seed the in-season tournament.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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Between silly videos and heartfelt tributes, Palmer has been relishing in motherhood.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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So why did a chess engine that came under the pathetic category and only looks one move ahead not just defeat but humiliate ChatGPT?—
David Szondy
June 15,
New Atlas,
15 June 2025
-
Not because ownership has had a change of heart, but rather as a way to address their pathetic offense.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derisive. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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