mock

verb \ ˈmäk , ˈmȯk \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: mock in a Sentence

Definition of mock

transitive verb

1 : to treat with contempt or ridicule : deride

he has been mocked as a mama's boy
—C. P. Pierce

2 : to disappoint the hopes of

for any government to mock men's hopes with mere words and promises and gestures
—D. D. Eisenhower

3 : defy, challenge

the unstable, strange new world of subatomic particles that mock all attempts at understanding
—Philip Howard

4 a : to imitate (someone or something) closely : mimic

a mockingbird was mocking a cardinal
—Nelson Hayes

b : to mimic in sport or derision

followed the old man along the street mocking his gait

intransitive verb

: jeer, scoff

she … mocked at his piety as affectation
—Ferdinand Schevill

—

mocker

noun

—

mockingly

play \ˈmä-kiŋ-lē, ˈmȯ-\ adverb

See mock defined for English-language learners

See mock defined for kids

Examples of mock in a Sentence

The boys mocked him for showing fear.
He mocks art only because he doesn't understand it.
They continue to mock the idea of a new government.
We are being mocked for our religious beliefs.
You can mock me as much as you like, but I'm going to do it anyway.

Recent Examples of mock from the Web

But just hours after praising her new Ghandi-like ways, Serena childishly mocked an opponent by complaining to an umpire about an incident that happened nine years ago.

— chris chase, For The Win, "Serena v. Sharapova: The brief history of a burning non-rivalry," 4 June 2018
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump's rival for the Republican nomination, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, mocked Trump's small hands and implied that might mean other parts of Trump's anatomy might be equally small.

— william cummings, USA TODAY, "Trump vows to rebuild America with his 'big, beautiful hands'," 29 May 2018
According to complaints, when the women reported the harassment, they were ignored or mocked, and in some cases suffered retaliation.

— drew broach, NOLA.com, "After Texas school shooting, Steve Scalise says removing prayer 'one of the problems': report," 22 May 2018
According to their complaints, when the women reported the harassment, they were ignored or mocked, and in some cases suffered retaliation.

— San Antonio Express-News, "McDonald’s workers file sex harassment claims," 22 May 2018
The Front Office mocks all 60 draft picks following the combine in Chicago.

— jeremy woo, SI.com, "2018 NBA Mock Draft 7.1: Projecting All 60 Picks Post-Combine," 21 May 2018
Now, though, Musk has mocked some of the people who are most vital to Tesla’s survival—the investors who have pushed it to valuation that surpasses Ford’s—and paid a price.

— alex davies, WIRED, "Elon Musk's Attack on Tesla Investors Could Make Him a Liability," 3 May 2018
Then this yeara junior minister of human resource development mocked Darwin’s theory of evolution, saying no one had ever witnessed apes turning into people.

— shekhar chandra, Scientific American, "India Joins the Worldwide March for Science," 16 Apr. 2018
Guston’s series of drawings mocking Richard Nixon as a klansman paralleled Roth’s book of anti-Nixon jibes, Our Gang (1971).

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "Philip Roth, the Mandarin Joker," 23 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mock.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of mock

Middle English, from moker

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

mock Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of mock

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.

- youngsters began to mock the helpless wino

taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge.

- hometown fans taunted the visiting team

copy, imitate, mimic, ape, mock mean to make something so that it resembles an existing thing. copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

- copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

- imitate a poet's style

mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

- pupils mimicking their teacher

ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original.

- American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

mock usually implies imitation with derision.

- mocking a vain man's pompous manner

mock

noun

Definition of mock

1 : an act of ridicule or derision : jeer

2 : one that is an object of derision or scorn

3 : mockery

4 a : an act of imitation

b : something made as an imitation

See mock defined for English-language learners

Examples of mock in a Sentence

they made a mock of the new recruit in front of the whole unit
obviously, the “priceless” Grecian urn that is destroyed in the movie was a mock

Recent Examples of mock from the Web

Looking for a pursuit — and a purse — that could hold her attention, Kate Brosnahan left her job at Mademoiselle magazine, cashed out her 401(k) and started making mock-up designs out of paper cutouts and Scotch tape with the help of her boyfriend.

— adam tschorn, latimes.com, "Kate Spade, whose handbags were essential accessories for urban women, dies at 55," 6 June 2018
In Albert Breer’s latest mock, vetted by insiders around the league, the Giants make a call that ripples through the draft—and leaves Buffalo moving up (but not too far) to snag its quarterback.

— albert breer, SI.com, "NFL Mock Draft Vol. 4: The Giants Hold the Key—To Draft or Not to Draft a Quarterback?," 17 Apr. 2018
The Ringer: Doncic's passing prowess puts him at No. 1 A combined mock draft from a number of staff writers at The Ringer has Doncic in the top spot.

— azcentral, "NBA mock drafts: Experts weigh in on Phoenix Suns' options at No. 1 in 2018 NBA draft," 17 May 2018
Another player who has appeared in a previous mock, Coutee would offer speed and quickness on offense as well as in the return game.

— josh katzenstein, NOLA.com, "New Orleans Saints Mock Draft 4.0: Back to the top tight end," 13 Apr. 2018
One mock-up of the bank’s new trading floor shows an expansive view of Central Park.

— sonali basak, Bloomberg.com, "Deutsche Bank Joins Wall Street Exodus for View of Central Park," 4 May 2018
Meanwhile, the Russian government has sponsored a mock-up Reichstag for a park outside Moscow, so that young people can practice storming it.

— sophie pinkham, The New Republic, "Why have post-Soviet countries embraced populism and nostalgia?," 3 May 2018
But supervised injection facilities aren’t yet legal, so the one set up in Longwood by a coalition of area medical students and activists was just a mock-up.

— nestor ramos, BostonGlobe.com, "A practical plan for fighting overdoses — but not in Massachusetts," 1 May 2018
Walter Football Updated April 25 Analyst Walter Cherepinsky has actively switched his pick for San Francisco in his mock, which is updated more often than others.

— noel harris, sacbee, "49ers mock drafts: A favorite prospect emerges at No. 9 before decision day | The Sacramento Bee," 26 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of mock

see ¹mock

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

mock Synonyms

Synonyms

carbon, carbon copy, clone, copy, dummy, dupe, duplicate, duplication, facsimile, imitation, reduplication, replica, replication, reproduction;

Antonyms

archetype, original, prototype;

miniature, mock-up, simulation;

reconstruction, re-creation;

image, likeness, semblance, shadow;

impression, imprint, print;

approximation, reincarnation, version;

extra, reserve, spare;

mock

adjective

Definition of mock

: of, relating to, or having the character of an imitation : simulated, feigned

the mock solemnity of the parody

See mock defined for English-language learners

Examples of mock in a Sentence

We stared at him in mock surprise.
Every summer, our history club performs mock battles to relive our country's greatest war.

Recent Examples of mock from the Web

Richard Morin offers his first edition of the 2018 NHL mock draft.

— richard morin, azcentral, "NHL mock draft 2.0: Movement near the top, Arizona Coyotes a wild card at No. 5," 8 June 2018
The outlet’s final mock draft had Rodriguez going to the Tampa Bay Rays at No.

— eduardo a. encina, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles select high school pitcher Grayson Rodriguez with No. 11 pick, college shortstop at No. 37," 5 June 2018
The Marlins have gone rogue with their first-round picks in a couple of recent drafts, taking players that weren’t projected first-rounders in mock drafts.

— clark spencer, miamiherald, "Hitter or pitcher? Who Marlins take with 13th pick in Monday's draft is anyone's guess.," 3 June 2018
Here's a look at where some experts have them landing in recent mock drafts.

— william guillory, NOLA.com, "NBA mock draft roundup: Who are the Pelicans projected to pick at No. 51?," 31 May 2018
Many teams are expected to trade up, according to several mock drafts.

— jenn leser, CBS News, "2018 NFL Draft round one as it happened," 26 Apr. 2018
Neither Simeon alumnus Donte Ingram nor Ben Richardson fall in either round of any mock draft.

— k.c. johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Loyola's Donte Ingram and Ben Richardson do a pre-draft workout for Bulls," 25 May 2018
The first installment features Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, Texas’s Mohamed Bamba and Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr., the three big men projected to be selected after Arizona’s DeAndre Ayton in our latest mock draft.

— jeremy woo, SI.com, "NBA Draft Debates: Marvin Bagley III, Mohamed Bamba or Jaren Jackson Jr?," 25 May 2018
Graham is projected to be taken 43rd overall in ESPN’s current mock draft, while Mykhailiuk is projected the 51st overall selection.

— gary bedore, kansascity, "Devonté Graham says he appreciates advice on pre-draft grind from Frank Mason | The Kansas City Star," 23 May 2018

Origin and Etymology of mock

see ¹mock

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1548

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

mock Synonyms

Synonyms

affected, artificial, assumed, bogus, contrived, factitious, fake, false, feigned, forced, mechanical, phony (also phoney), plastic, pretended, pseudo, put-on, sham, simulated, strained, unnatural;

Antonyms

artless, genuine, natural, spontaneous, unaffected, uncontrived, unfeigned, unforced;

Near Antonyms

authentic, bona fide, real, realistic, right, true;

honest, ingenuous, sincere, unpretending;

easy, effortless, smooth;

extemporaneous, impromptu, impulsive, instinctive, unconscious, unprompted, unrehearsed, unstudied;

double-dealing, empty, facile, hollow, hypocritical, insincere, left-handed, mealy, mealymouthed, two-faced, unctuous;

exaggerated, histrionic, melodramatic, overacted, overdone, theatrical (also theatric);

cute, cutesy, genteel, goody-goody, mincing, overrefined, simpering;

conventional, formal, impersonal, inflexible, rigid, stiff, stylized, wooden;

artful, calculated, conscious, cultivated, deliberate, premeditated, studied;

mock

adverb

Definition of mock

: in an insincere or counterfeit manner —usually used in combination

mock-serious

Recent Examples of mock from the Web

The artists Kenya (Robinson) and Doreen Garner are sitting mock-regally on a divan in a moody Gramercy cocktail bar.

— adam davidson, The New Yorker, "The Podcast as Performance Art," 28 Jan. 2017

Origin and Etymology of mock

see ¹mock

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1625

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

MOCK Defined for English Language Learners

mock

verb

Definition of mock for English Language Learners

: to laugh at or make fun of (someone or something) especially by copying an action or a way of behaving or speaking
: to criticize and laugh at (someone or something) for being bad, worthless, or unimportant

mock

noun

Definition of mock for English Language Learners

: an exam that does not count and that is done to practice for a real exam : a mock exam

mock

adjective

Definition of mock for English Language Learners

: not based on real or honest feelings
: done or performed to look like the real thing

MOCK Defined for Kids

mock

verb \ ˈmäk \

Definition of mock for Students

mocked; mocking

1 : to treat with scorn : ridicule

Stanley had also tried to explain that he needed to save his energy … but the other boys just mocked him.
—Louis Sachar, Holes

2 : ²mimic 2

mock

adjective

Definition of mock for Students

: not real : make-believe

a mock battle

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mock

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mock

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mock

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mock

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mock

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mock

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