mock

1 of 4

verb

ˈmäk How to pronounce mock (audio)
ˈmȯk
mocked; mocking; mocks

transitive verb

1
: to treat with contempt or ridicule : deride
he has been mocked as a mama's boyC. P. Pierce
2
: to disappoint the hopes of
for any government to mock men's hopes with mere words and promises and gesturesD. D. Eisenhower
3
: defy, challenge
the unstable, strange new world of subatomic particles that mock all attempts at understandingPhilip Howard
4
a
: to imitate (someone or something) closely : mimic
a mockingbird was mocking a cardinalNelson 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 affectationFerdinand Schevill
mocker noun
mockingly adverb

mock

2 of 4

noun

1
: an act of ridicule or derision : jeer
2
: one that is an object of derision or scorn
3
4
a
: an act of imitation
b
: something made as an imitation

mock

3 of 4

adjective

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

mock

4 of 4

adverb

: in an insincere or counterfeit manner
usually used in combination
mock-serious
Choose the Right Synonym for 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, unoriginal, 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

Examples of mock in a Sentence

Verb 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. Noun 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 Adjective We stared at him in mock surprise. Every summer, our history club performs mock battles to relive our country's greatest war. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Behind the scenes, however, the malicious payload was not only intruding into some of the developer’s most private moments, but silently mocking the developer in source code comments at the same time. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 8 Nov. 2023 At the time of the infamous case, Donald Trump called on the state of New York to reinstate the death penalty in a newspaper ad, a call Salaam mocked during his council campaign. Melissa Noel, Essence, 8 Nov. 2023 Chetrit seems to be mocking our desire for self-exposure without actually divulging much. Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2023 After Dorinda, 58, seemingly mocks Kelly, 55, the ladies are hurling disses at each other left and right. Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 5 Nov. 2023 The phrase refers to mocking exchanges between then-candidate Trump and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on the campaign trail in 2016, when Rubio, also a presidential hopeful, jokingly claimed Trump had disproportionately small hands as an insult to his anatomy. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Nov. 2023 Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter) posted remarks earlier this month mocking Ukrainian president Vlodymr Zelensky that were met with a flood of support and enthusiasm from Russian trolls and accounts distributing pro-Russia propaganda. WIRED, 28 Oct. 2023 The former Trump aide, who openly mocked the election claims in the weeks following the vote, ultimately agreed with government assessments that the 2020 election was one of the most secure in the nation’s history. Edith Olmsted, The New Republic, 26 Oct. 2023 Trump mocked the 5 1/2 years McCain spent as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023
Noun
This year’s list of grant recipients includes middle school mock trials and a gardening club, as well as an elementary school financial literacy program and social justice club. John Benson, cleveland, 8 Sep. 2023 The beef roll, the heavy mock stitching, the large tongue, and the squat heel are all fundamental penny loafer features. Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 8 Sep. 2023 High school mock trial teams have eight weeks to prepare for a case before it is tried. Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2023 There’s a mock Devlin Macgregor Pharmaceuticals website that sells Provasic T-shirts, hats, golf shirts, and coffee mugs. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 July 2023 Here's what the latest mock drafts forecast for them. Indystar Sports, The Indianapolis Star, 19 June 2023 Tigers make things easy Leading into the draft, multiple mocks had Langford going as the No. 1 overall pick to the Pirates. R.j. Coyle, Dallas News, 10 July 2023 King has Robinson going No. 8 overall on Thursday to the Atlanta Falcons in his latest NFL mock draft. Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 25 Apr. 2023 That will lead to another exchange of information, but Jeremiah typically stays true to his final mock. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2023
Adjective
The pleating in the pants and the lines in the half-zip sweater give this set a super elevated look, while the oversized mock neck is both useful (zip it up for warmth) and just plain stylish. Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 15 Nov. 2023 His mock feud with fellow plastic surgeons Richard Brown and Christian Subbio has gone viral in aesthetics circles. Jolene Edgar, Allure, 15 Nov. 2023 The mini dress, with its mock neck and asymmetrical hemline, is a piece from Dolce & Gabbana’s spring 1996 collection. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023 The Gap Rib Midi Sweater Dress elevates the iconic silhouette even more with a mock neckline and side slits. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023 They were pistol-whipped, cut with knives, shocked with stun guns, made to kneel for mock executions. James Verini Paolo Pellegrin, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2023 Additionally, the dress is made from a thick rib material that is soft and warm without being too chunky and oversized, as well as a mock neck that adds an elevated touch. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023 Cameras caught Usyk, who was ringside, with his fingers on his forehead, in a gesture of mock alarm, or maybe the real thing. Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023 To teach the people how to vote, the authorities organize a mock election, but the locals seem unconvinced. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 26 Oct. 2023
Adverb
Sports Sam Farmer’s crystal ball: NFL mock draft 2.0 after big trade for top pick April 3, 2023 Stafford passed for only 10 touchdowns, with eight interceptions, as the Rams produced the worst performance by a defending Super Bowl champion in league history. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2023 And though Tyler ditched the bellhop costume quickly, he was soon replaced by the anonymous character of a fisherman in a bright yellow raincoat who was responsible for holding up a backdrop as Tyler set sail -- and, of course, mock-mopping up the water on the dock once Tyler returned to land. Billboard, 31 July 2021 Alwyn begins mock-pulling at his cheeks and widening his eyes at any talk of said face. Vulture, 9 May 2022 Perhaps most famously, Mr. Remy and Orsillo, in between convulsions of laughter, mock-analyzed an incident in which one fan in the Fenway stands threw a slice of pizza at another in April 2007. BostonGlobe.com, 31 Oct. 2021 Clifford looked at him mock-sternly, channelling Diana. Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 8 June 2020 Stokes continued, mock yelling in a West Hollywood hotel. Ariana Romero, refinery29.com, 20 Apr. 2020 But as the conflict in the country dragged on for years, the banner became a symbol over which critics would mock Bush. John Gage, Washington Examiner, 16 Mar. 2020 The included photo of the model/mock up of this case is close but not exact. Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 26 Feb. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, Adjective, and Adverb

Middle English, from moker

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1548, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mock was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mock

Cite this Entry

“Mock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mock. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

mock

1 of 3 verb
ˈmäk How to pronounce mock (audio)
ˈmȯk
1
: to treat with scorn : ridicule
mocked his ideas
2
: defy sense 2
don't mock the rules
3
: to make fun of by mimicking
mocker noun
mockingly adverb

mock

2 of 3 noun
1
: an act of mocking : jeer
2
: someone or something that is made fun of

mock

3 of 3 adjective
: not real : imitation

More from Merriam-Webster on mock

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