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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of derision
No Liverpool or Manchester United manager has faced derision or hostility on anything like the scale that, to cite just two examples, Ange Postecoglou and Liam Rosenior faced within weeks of taking over at Nottingham Forest and Chelsea this season.
—
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 11 May 2026
But those days might also inspire plenty of derision from critics, especially on the conservative side, still furious over school closures and other lockdowns that shuttered businesses.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 6 May 2026
At the time, Turner’s decision was met with derision around the majors.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 May 2026
And then there’s the A18 Pro processor, the component that has drawn the most derision among the geekerati.
—Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 11 May 2026
But those days might also inspire plenty of derision from critics, especially on the conservative side, still furious over school closures and other lockdowns that shuttered businesses.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 6 May 2026
At the time, Turner’s decision was met with derision around the majors.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 May 2026
And then there’s the A18 Pro processor, the component that has drawn the most derision among the geekerati.
—Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision
Noun
-
Their purpose was partly decorative and partly protective, but the visual joke became unavoidable.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
The fierce woman who always wore black, who could light up a room with her sly jokes and smoky laughter, grew quieter and more fragile after losing her lover.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
How the Knicks got here The Knicks have been a subject of ridicule for most of the past three decades, only to break through this spring with historic and surreal dominance.—
Esfandiar Baraheni,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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Dozens of harrowing twists later, Daniel was turned into a vampire by Louis’ terrifyingly powerful, 500-year-old lover, Armand (Assad Zaman), and published Louis’ confessions to the ridicule of the human media and the outrage of the understandably press-shy immortal community.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The Kerch road and rail crossing, opened by Putin in 2018, has been the target of previous Ukrainian attacks.—
Gianluca Mezzofiore,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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The interceptor carries a small payload tailored for neutralizing drones and similar aerial targets while maintaining a compact and cost-effective design.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Don’t let the cream’s $8 price tag fool you; the anti-aging find tackles fine lines, wrinkles, and clogged pores, all while being gentle enough for all skin types.—
Isabel Bekele,
InStyle,
21 June 2026
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This is an ignoble war making monsters and fools out of its participants, and against the uncontrollable weapons that are dragons, everyone’s resolve is crumbling.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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