ridicule 1 of 2

as in contempt
the making of unkind jokes as a way of showing one's scorn for someone or something the early efforts by the suffragists to obtain voting rights for women were met with ridicule

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ridicule

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ridicule distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of ridicule are deride, mock, and taunt. While all these words mean "to make an object of laughter of," ridicule implies a deliberate often malicious belittling.

consistently ridiculed everything she said

When is deride a more appropriate choice than ridicule?

The meanings of deride and ridicule largely overlap; however, deride suggests contemptuous and often bitter ridicule.

derided their efforts to start their own business

In what contexts can mock take the place of ridicule?

The words mock and ridicule are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mock implies scorn often ironically expressed as by mimicry or sham deference.

youngsters began to mock the helpless wino

When is it sensible to use taunt instead of ridicule?

While the synonyms taunt and ridicule are close in meaning, taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge.

hometown fans taunted the visiting team

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ridicule
Noun
Fetterman slams Dems for suddenly embracing Elon Musk after months of ridicule. FOXNews.com, 6 June 2025 Both fan bases will be hoping for a reprieve from the ridicule. Alex Tabet, NBC news, 20 May 2025
Verb
Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my need for assistance. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 Managers ran through rows of their peers and announced their area’s sales performance, ridiculing poor performers. Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ridicule
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ridicule
Noun
  • Most Popular Most Popular Judge finds Florida attorney general in contempt of court for flouting immigration order Judge finds Florida attorney general in contempt of court for flouting immigration order Will a new fireworks law stop mortar blasts in Orlando neighborhood?
    Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2025
  • Court officials reviewed YouTube footage and charged Troconis with criminal contempt of court, a misdemeanor, on the same day she was convicted of helping her boyfriend execute and cover up his wife’s murder.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • Tonally, the show is all over the place, laying on the moody theatrics one moment, mocking Dave’s writerly pretenses the next.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
  • In September 2024, she was mocked online after releasing a single.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Internet viewers have gone wild for a fruit-loving cat not shy about sharing his disdain for bananas.
    Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
  • Trump’s disdain for multilateralism is also imperiling the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
    KORI SCHAKE, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • The American novelist Kurt Vonnegut, on the other hand, was steadfast in his derision of the semicolon.
    Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2025
  • Curiously, for someone who has tasked himself with explaining Manhattan’s late ‘70s downtown renaissance, Gould regards many of the key players in that scene with derision bordering on contempt.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Bailey could be seen mouthing something to the host, and before turning around as instructed, instead went in for a kiss, sending the audience into howls of laughter and applause.
    EW.com, EW.com, 27 June 2025
  • In Ukraine's legendary port city, the salty breeze carried the splashing and laughter of a carefree summer.
    Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ridicule.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ridicule. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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