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
In the 222 years since declaring its independence, the Caribbean country and its people has consistently found itself as the target of American derision—from Thomas Jefferson’s refusal to acknowledge Haiti's independence to Trump’s inaccurate depiction of Haitians.
—
Ruth Jean-Marie, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Six-time Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick being denied a first-ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a stunning decision that has mostly earned derision.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Yet those soldiers’ returns were often met with derision.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Depending on your point of view, the professor becomes either a figure of derision or a tragic victim.
—Cory Franklin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Ruth Jean-Marie, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Six-time Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick being denied a first-ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a stunning decision that has mostly earned derision.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Yet those soldiers’ returns were often met with derision.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Depending on your point of view, the professor becomes either a figure of derision or a tragic victim.
—Cory Franklin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision
Noun
-
Gwen then cracks a joke about firing Del Rio's character.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
-
There is a drawing of a child crouched on a ride-on suitcase, notes for a joke Fleming posted online in January.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The aftermath of the battle Even at the time, the Emu War attracted ridicule.—
Tom Hawking,
Popular Science,
25 Feb. 2026
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Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama in early February visited Zambia wearing a fugu garment, prompting ridicule from some social media users.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Raytheon also underlined that the StormBreaker weapon’s small size enables the use of fewer aircraft to take out the same number of targets as larger weapons that require multiple jets.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
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The repeal followed Congress’s zeroing out of penalties for violating Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) targets as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Don’t let the term ‘first flat’ fool you—Diana’s early digs were anything but shabby.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
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Arguing with the guru, it was said, was a fool’s response, like kicking gold.—
Blair Glaser,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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