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 ridiculeVerb
The other kids ridiculed him for the way he dressed.
They ridiculed all of her suggestions.
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Noun
At times, Trump’s methods strained US relationships and made the US the target of ridicule.—Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024 Team members must feel safe enough to reveal their weaknesses and express their opinions without fear of ridicule.—William Mullane, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
While popular with more liberal viewers, the show is also often ridiculed by conservatives as being too soft and too partisan.—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024 Trump regularly ridicules broadcast networks and major news organizations that are critical of him and has recently called on the U.S. government to crack down on broadcast outlets.—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ridicule
Word History
Etymology
Noun
French or Latin; French, from Latin ridiculum jest
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