as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the derisive performances of some of the singers on the talent show
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Recent Examples of derisive
Trump posted Friday on social media, using a derisive nickname for Powell.
—
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 7 June 2025
His comment about being the solution drew derisive laughter from some in the audience.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2025
The movie was met with stone silence for most of the running time, eventually turning to derisive laughter.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 15 May 2025
What makes some films feel real and others like sham products, worthy only of that derisive term content?
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derisive
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 7 June 2025
His comment about being the solution drew derisive laughter from some in the audience.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2025
The movie was met with stone silence for most of the running time, eventually turning to derisive laughter.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 15 May 2025
What makes some films feel real and others like sham products, worthy only of that derisive term content?
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derisive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derisive
Adjective
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This is the most ridiculous robbery ever, Mirvat thought.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Sep. 2025
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Summarize Text – Get a quick overview of a long email, article or contract and understand those ridiculous ‘Terms of Service’ agreements.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This aspect will always cast her apart, even today, in the sense that a woman’s naked body is still perceived by audiences as something that stands out for some absurd reason, unfortunately.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
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Their vote to shut down the government is absurd.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Count Dracula remains a fixture in the horror genre, having been featured in movies that range from scary and sexy to silly and satirical.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
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Anderson’s synthesis of all of these themes, motifs, and silly gags into One Battle After Another, which saw Anderson’s biggest movie opening ever last month, shows how Pynchon’s ideas have not only aged well but are more visible and relevant.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Characters can be pathetic, and frank about their Toledo Truth Teller’s bleak prospects.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
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Jimmy Kimmel is a pathetic hate monger.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derisive. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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