as in fooling
Related Words
as in deriding
to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter
the term "big bang theory" was originally coined to ridicule the belief that the universe was created by a giant explosion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ridiculing
Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
But mostly, and kind of disturbingly, people enjoyed ridiculing it.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
But this heavy tide of content ridiculing any notion of his lasting importance to the American republic suggests a far different fate.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2025
By the 1830s, politicians had stopped ridiculing America’s growing canal system.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2025
The show opened with a skit mocking Hegseth, portrayed by comedian Colin Jost, ridiculing the Defense Secretary's address to military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, last week.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
Killer Mike has apologized to Steph Curry and the NBA star’s wife, Ayesha Curry, following his comments reacting to a TikTok video ridiculing Ayesha.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
Trump has also criticized President Obama’s Nobel Prize, ridiculing it during a 2020 rally.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Bianco has repeatedly made public comments ridiculing the relatives of the dead.
—Christopher Damien, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
The temperature is rising in the Warner Bros Discovery chase, with key figures at Netflix and Paramount ridiculing the other companies’ merger proposals.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
But mostly, and kind of disturbingly, people enjoyed ridiculing it.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
But this heavy tide of content ridiculing any notion of his lasting importance to the American republic suggests a far different fate.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2025
By the 1830s, politicians had stopped ridiculing America’s growing canal system.
—Matthew Smith, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2025
The show opened with a skit mocking Hegseth, portrayed by comedian Colin Jost, ridiculing the Defense Secretary's address to military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, last week.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
Killer Mike has apologized to Steph Curry and the NBA star’s wife, Ayesha Curry, following his comments reacting to a TikTok video ridiculing Ayesha.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
Trump has also criticized President Obama’s Nobel Prize, ridiculing it during a 2020 rally.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Bianco has repeatedly made public comments ridiculing the relatives of the dead.
—Christopher Damien, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ridiculing
Adjective
-
To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The revelation quickly made headlines, and the social-media peanut gallery was sharply derisive.—
Emma Sandler,
Vogue,
15 Dec. 2025
-
There is nothing quite like experiencing a truly terrible film with a room full of gleefully derisive bad-movie fans.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Just kidding, Kim’s is a real and rational response, but Natalie is not having it.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
-
While fictional, Joel’s compassion and care can’t help but feel like counterprogramming to the cynical everyday horrors of violent deportations, open bigotry from leading politicians, measles outbreaks and the return of whole milk (kidding!—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
But it’s also taken a ribbing for recalls, which have been mounting rapidly.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Jan. 2026
-
And secondly, the ribbing around the quarter-zip is comfy-looking and actually works to insulate by trapping air.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
His razzing of The Problem With Jon Stewart was the best grace note on the piece.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Reuters reported that BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who hosted the dinner of some 200 people as co-chair of the World Economic Forum, ended the dinner after the heckling incident — before dessert was served.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Vice President Vance appeared on FOX News Channel’s The Ingraham Angle hours after the heckling incident, telling the host about visiting with the national guardsmen and discussing recent changes to the city, while briefly mentioning the protesters.—
Jillian Frankel,
People.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ridiculing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ridiculing. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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