deride

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deride distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of deride are mock, ridicule, and taunt. While all these words mean "to make an object of laughter of," deride suggests contemptuous and often bitter ridicule.

derided their efforts to start their own business

In what contexts can mock take the place of deride?

The words mock and deride can be used in similar contexts, but mock implies scorn often ironically expressed as by mimicry or sham deference.

youngsters began to mock the helpless wino

When can ridicule be used instead of deride?

While the synonyms ridicule and deride are close in meaning, ridicule implies a deliberate often malicious belittling.

consistently ridiculed everything she said

When might taunt be a better fit than deride?

The words taunt and deride are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge.

hometown fans taunted the visiting team

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deride Some critics have derided the club as a personal playpen for the rich white guys on the board. Paul Liberatore, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025 Parmenter said the other student, also 11, used transphobic slurs during the attack and derided his child’s identity. Samantha Riedel, Them., 10 Oct. 2025 In practice, despite his rhetoric, Israel’s longest serving prime minister’s security policy was widely seen as cautious and relatively restrained, even derided as cowardly by political rivals, who also mocked his inability to make decisive moves. Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025 That notion, derided by Hoyle, had already evolved from its original meaning. Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deride
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deride
Verb
  • Claiming victimhood was a cop-out; those who made accusations of assault were ridiculed.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Beyond this, there has been a significant amount of backlash on social media, as users have ridiculed the move by Austin.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Such is the brilliance of Wes Craven’s self-aware spin on serial-killer tropes, which manages to both mock a generation of teenagers raised on the campy likes of Friday the 13th and deliver honest scares in its own right.
    The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Following the no-contest between Aspinall and Ciryl Gane, Jones mocked the injured champion with a silent but hilarious move on social media that quickly garnered attention.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deride.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deride. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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