ridicule

noun

rid·i·cule | \ ˈri-də-ˌkyül

Definition of ridicule

(Entry 1 of 2)

: the act of ridiculing : derision, mockery

ridicule

verb

ridiculed; ridiculing

Definition of ridicule (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to make fun of

Other Words from ridicule Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about ridicule

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Synonyms for ridicule

Synonyms: Noun

derision, mockery, sport

Synonyms: Verb

deride, gibe (or jibe), jeer, laugh (at), mock, scout, shoot down, skewer

Choose the Right Synonym for ridicule

Verb

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

Examples of ridicule in a Sentence

Noun

She didn't show anyone her artwork for fear of ridicule. the early efforts by the suffragists to obtain voting rights for women were met with ridicule

Verb

The other kids ridiculed him for the way he dressed. They ridiculed all of her suggestions.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Con, devastated by his mother’s ridicule and Nina’s obvious attraction to Trigorin, has tried to shoot himself in the head and missed. — Andrea Simakis, cleveland.com, "Dobama Theatre opens 60th season with ‘Stupid (Bleeping) Bird,’ a meta fine sendup of Chekhov’s ‘The Seagull’," 13 Sep. 2019 Trump’s decision to deploy his hostage affairs envoy to a trial held in an allied nation sparked ridicule and anger in Sweden, where the sight of O’Brien on the calm streets of inner city Stockholm appeared bizarre to some and offensive to others. — Washington Post, "A hostage negotiator, an embattled ambassador, a nuclear envoy: Who might replace John Bolton?," 12 Sep. 2019 Trump is not the first president whose use of language has provoked ridicule and dismay. — Sarah Lyall, BostonGlobe.com, "There or their? Sticklers twitch at President Trump’s posts," 31 Aug. 2019 Not having a degree might hold you back from better jobs, but fearing ridicule will hold you back from jobs and everything else. — Washington Post, "Carolyn Hax: If you had all the answers, you wouldn’t need to go back to school," 31 Aug. 2019 Not having a degree might hold you back from better jobs, but fearing ridicule will hold you back from jobs and everything else. — Carolyn Hax, The Mercury News, "Carolyn Hax: My friends say kids are a big mistake, but this guy won’t stop pushing," 30 Aug. 2019 Not having a degree might hold you back from better jobs, but fearing ridicule will hold you back from jobs and everything else. — Carolyn Hax, al, "Carolyn Hax: Keep asking questions to get adult education plan rolling," 29 Aug. 2019 Remember the ridicule Ben Affleck faced after being spotted looking sad on a beach? — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Are We Really Body-Shaming Male Studs Now?," 1 Aug. 2019 British ridicule of American ways of speaking became a vitriolic and crowded sport in the 18th and 19th centuries. — Time, "Americans and Brits Have Been Fighting Over the English Language for Centuries. Here’s How It Started," 11 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Last July, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in an aggressive speech, ridiculed the notion that the U.S. could choke off its exports. — Spencer Jakab, WSJ, "A Tanker War Would Rock the Oil Market," 13 June 2019 Other memes posted during the period of Macedonian control ridiculed special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, former FBI director James Comey and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a leading target of conservative attacks. — Craig Timberg, Washington Post, "A popular Facebook page, ‘Vets for Trump,’ seemed to be a place for former military. But for months, Macedonians controlled it.," 17 Sep. 2019 Ireland Baldwin did not hold back when ridiculing her dad Alec Baldwin on Saturday’s Comedy Central roast — even referring to the infamous voicemail that led to their estrangement over a decade ago. — Tomás Mier, PEOPLE.com, "Ireland Baldwin Roasts Dad Alec Baldwin: 'I Haven't Checked My Voicemails' in 12 Years," 13 Sep. 2019 Her lyrics ridiculing the size of a man's package earned huge laughs. — Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle, "Pepe Aguilar's Jaripeo Sin Fronteras is a family affair in Houston," 19 Aug. 2019 Don’t judge, dismiss or ridicule your child’s fears. — Tamekia Reece, Good Housekeeping, "How to Spot and Treat Anxiety in Kids, According to Child Psychologists," 7 Aug. 2019 Transcripts published by the Puerto Rican Center for Investigative Journalism revealed insensitive exchanges where Rosselló and his associates ridiculed fellow politicians and made light of victims of Hurricane Maria. — Time, "Puerto Rico's Embattled Gov. Ricardo Rosselló to Resign Amid Protests," 25 July 2019 In the same way, the South Park episode [which ridiculed the rings] is incredibly entertaining. — Jason Gay, Harper's BAZAAR, "Jonas Brothers: From Pop Stars to Rock Stars," 6 June 2019 The president repeatedly attacked and ridiculed his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself based on his role in Trump’s campaign. — Chris Strohm, Bloomberg.com, "Trump's New Attorney General Won't Recuse Himself in Mueller Probe," 4 Mar. 2019

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