mockery

noun

mock·​ery ˈmä-k(ə-)rē How to pronounce mockery (audio)
ˈmȯ-
plural mockeries
1
: insulting or contemptuous action or speech : derision
laying himself open to the jeers and mockeries of his rebellious subjectsE. A. Freeman
2
: a subject of laughter, derision, or sport
making him turn himself into a merry mockery of all he had once held dearO. St. John Gogarty
3
a
: a counterfeit appearance : imitation
if it was not a man it was a huge and grotesque mockery of manE. R. Burroughs
b
: an insincere, contemptible, or impertinent (see impertinent sense 1a) imitation
makes a mockery of justice
4
: something ridiculously or impudently (see impudent sense 1) unsuitable
in her bitterness she felt that all rejoicing was mockeryGeorge Eliot

Examples of mockery in a Sentence

His kind of personality invites mockery. the children's cruel mockery of each other
Recent Examples on the Web Squid Game And The Death Of Satire The most common criticism of Squid Game: The Challenge is that its very existence makes a mockery of the original message. Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 In schools, a green bubble is an invitation for mockery and exclusion by children with iPhones, according to Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that focuses on technology’s impact on families. Brian X. Chen, New York Times, 29 Nov. 2023 To violate either one - in any way - not only makes a mockery of the profession, but is a disservice to players, coaches and, most importantly, to fans. Christopher Brito, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2023 His biggest ideas have all blown up in his face: An $8 monthly subscription fee for a blue check that verified users then needed the option of hiding to avoid mockery. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2023 In the years since the end of World War II, Italians have seen dozens of governments rise and fall, the state of their politics often subjected to gentle ribbing if not outright mockery on the international stage. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2023 That dichotomy has many in Pakistan criticizing the country’s politicking military, with journalist Taha Siddiqui saying that the army’s interference has made a mockery of Pakistan’s political and judicial systems. Hasan Ali, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct. 2023 His eyebrows were twin carets, inserting pleasure or gentle mockery into a scene. Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2023 After the trial, which produced reams of journalistic mockery of conservative religion, prominent fundamentalists like Bob Jones Sr. decided that America needed a new kind of educational institution, one free from the influence of mainstream academic expertise. TIME, 11 Oct. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near mockery

Cite this Entry

“Mockery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mockery. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

mockery

noun
mock·​ery ˈmäk-(ə-)rē How to pronounce mockery (audio)
ˈmȯk-
plural mockeries
1
: insulting action or speech
2
: someone or something that is laughed at
3
: a ridiculous or poor imitation

More from Merriam-Webster on mockery

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