1
as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
a literary snob, she invariably used the derisory term "the boob tube" when referring to television
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the pawnbroker offered what I regarded as a derisory amount for the diamond ring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derisory
Adjective
-
Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.
-
What Florence has been doing is consistent and insulting.
Adjective
-
Americans may have become too intolerant of heat, but this is patently ridiculous.
-
And the old person who rebels is ridiculous.
Adjective
-
Atletico did not believe this was a serious attempt to sign the player, and reacted with more angry and scornful social media posts.
-
Many who lived through the pandemic—and witnessed this inability to combat the lethal pestilence—developed scornful opinions of the medical profession.
Adjective
-
The 41-year-old is still an elite NBA player, which is still an absurd reality to consider.
-
The thesis rests on a claim that would have sounded absurd a year ago.
Adjective
-
The Uganda Law Society demanded Lukwago's immediate release, saying his arrest was contemptuous of court processes.
-
Koenig’s former Yankees teammates were contemptuous of that miserly decision.
Adjective
-
Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
-
After these first three majors — and after a pathetic showing this week at Shinnecock — there's no reason to bet against it.
Adjective
-
Amusingly enough, someone who was neither perplexed nor disdainful was a young cast member by the name of Stephen Colbert.
-
His whole behavior toward women is so disdainful.
Adjective
-
Every player with a pulse had six suitors throwing silly money around.
-
Some scenes in the movie are light and silly, including those pairing Maddie with a lesbian friend, played by Kate Berlant, who clearly loves her.
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.
Cite this Entry
“Derisory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derisory. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
