1
as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of
after yet another last place finish, the team became nothing more than a derision to all but its most loyal fans
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ridicule
the making of unkind jokes as a way of showing one's scorn for someone or something
their absurd behavior on the awards show became a source of derision for comedians
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of derision
Any film that dares to cover the life of a spiritual leader will likely run right into a high level of skepticism, scrutiny, derision and, yes, even some old-fashioned acceptance.
—
Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
With the din of derision ringing in his ears, Carrington made his first trey and flashed a W sign at the students in the Barnyard.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2026
In a village outside Paris, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini consistently attacked the Shah with derision.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Writer-director Craig Brewer resists the temptation to make Mike and Claire in any way pitiful or worthy of derision.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
With the din of derision ringing in his ears, Carrington made his first trey and flashed a W sign at the students in the Barnyard.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2026
In a village outside Paris, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini consistently attacked the Shah with derision.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Writer-director Craig Brewer resists the temptation to make Mike and Claire in any way pitiful or worthy of derision.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision
Noun
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Talk about the weather, add some jokes in there about some of the guys on the team and just stuff like that.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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The event, held at the Montana Hotel in Pétion-Ville, was the butt of jokes on social media amid questions over the group’s authority to act.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Last week, a post on X went viral — through ridicule rather than respect, as is generally the way.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Internal rivalries, theoretical disputes, and public ridicule repeatedly tested the group.—
Shannon Taggart,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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So are discarded fishing nets and all sorts of mesh that can stop a drone from hitting its target.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Kellogg’s high-growth snack business was much more viable as an acquisition target without the sluggish cereal division attached.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But Cramer said that is a fool’s errands as the market seemingly changes its tune each quarter.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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Of course, comparing the bottle in question to contemporary releases is a fool’s errand—this was something different entirely.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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