laughingstock

noun

laugh·​ing·​stock ˈla-fiŋ-ˌstäk How to pronounce laughingstock (audio)
ˈlä-
: an object of ridicule

Examples of laughingstock in a Sentence

The team has become the laughingstock of the league. The mayor became a laughingstock.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been mostly an NFL laughingstock for the past 20 years or so. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025 Eight years after turning the Clippers from laughingstock to contenders, Paul is back for his 21st and likely final NBA season after agreeing on Monday to join the franchise on what is reportedly a one-year, $3.6 million deal. Janis Carr, Oc Register, 21 July 2025 Their egos hurt, many of these frustrated, self-indulgent stars lashed out, turning the Yankees into a laughingstock of infighting, dysfunction, and needless drama amidst a championship drought of more than a decade. Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025 However, the White Sox still remain a laughingstock. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for laughingstock

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1518, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laughingstock was circa 1518

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laughingstock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laughingstock. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

laughingstock

noun
laugh·​ing·​stock ˈlaf-iŋ-ˌstäk How to pronounce laughingstock (audio)
ˈlȧf-
: a person or thing that is made fun of

More from Merriam-Webster on laughingstock

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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