as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of
his nerdy clothes made him the laughingstock of the schoolyard
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Recent Examples of laughingstock
Ratings for this year’s playoff games have been up substantially, as fans gravitate to Indiana’s turnaround story from football laughingstock to CFP power.
—
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The Hoosiers in two years have gone from a college football laughingstock to one of the most complete teams in the country that has toppled national powers Ohio State, Alabama and Oregon on their way to the title game.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
Indiana was once considered college football’s ultimate laughingstock, making headlines as the first school to lose 700 games.
—The Athletic College Football, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
For some difficult-to-define reason, this trip made Perry a laughingstock.
—Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laughingstock
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The Hoosiers in two years have gone from a college football laughingstock to one of the most complete teams in the country that has toppled national powers Ohio State, Alabama and Oregon on their way to the title game.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
Indiana was once considered college football’s ultimate laughingstock, making headlines as the first school to lose 700 games.
—The Athletic College Football, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
For some difficult-to-define reason, this trip made Perry a laughingstock.
—Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laughingstock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughingstock
Noun
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Episodes are a blend of political analysis, jokes that test the boundaries of good taste, and interviews with high-profile guests.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
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General catastrophizing Some people are naturally prone to anxiety and overthinking everything—like a work typo, or a throwaway joke that now feels catastrophic.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Mad Monarch of Mar-a-Lago is ridiculed worldwide as the babbling fool and face of Satan whose venom is deadly and far-reaching.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
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But don’t let the humble exterior fool you.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laughingstock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughingstock. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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