ridicule

1 of 2

noun

rid·​i·​cule ˈri-də-ˌkyül How to pronounce ridicule (audio)
Synonyms of ridiculenext
: the act of ridiculing : derision, mockery

ridicule

2 of 2

verb

ridiculed; ridiculing

transitive verb

: to make fun of
ridiculer noun

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for ridicule

ridicule, deride, mock, taunt mean to make an object of laughter of.

ridicule implies a deliberate often malicious belittling.

consistently ridiculed everything she said

deride suggests contemptuous and often bitter ridicule.

derided their efforts to start their own business

mock implies scorn often ironically expressed as by mimicry or sham deference.

the other kids mocked the way he laughed

taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge.

hometown fans taunted the visiting team

Examples of ridicule in a Sentence

Noun She didn't show anyone her artwork for fear of ridicule. the early efforts by the suffragists to obtain voting rights for women were met with ridicule Verb The other kids ridiculed him for the way he dressed. They ridiculed all of her suggestions.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Her testimony brought on an enormous amount of public judgment and ridicule. —Jane Thier, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2024 The first episode’s ridicule of Brown’s religiosity, and its relish of the pre–Civil War mayhem in Bleeding Kansas, made the series seem part of this unfortunate trend. —Martha Bayles, National Review, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
Young voters in both camps have seized on certain messages to ridicule or to emphasize certain values which have ranged from Tik Tock, Instagram reels of dance videos about eating cats and dogs to Trump depicted as the Messiah. —Earl Carr, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 The former president has repeatedly ridiculed the conservative cable news giant in the weeks leading up to Election Day. —Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ridicule 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French or Latin; French, from Latin ridiculum jest

First Known Use

Noun

1675, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1680, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ridicule was in 1675

Phrases Containing ridicule

Dictionary Entries Near ridicule

ridgy

ridicule

ridiculosity

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Ridicule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridicule. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

ridicule

1 of 2 noun
rid·​i·​cule ˈrid-ə-ˌkyü(ə)l How to pronounce ridicule (audio)
: the act of making fun of someone or something : derision

ridicule

2 of 2 verb
ridiculed; ridiculing
: to make fun of : deride
ridiculer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ridicule

Nglish: Translation of ridicule for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ridicule for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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