as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the derisive performances of some of the singers on the talent show
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Recent Examples of derisive
Montagu published a substantial essay on Shakespeare, defending him against a derisive assessment by Voltaire, which helped to elevate the Bard’s reputation and to connect it lastingly with English national identity.
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Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un fired off fierce, derisive rhetoric against South Korea in a key ruling party meeting at the end of December.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024
Plenty have judged The Idea of You before even seeing it, labeling it Harry Styles fan fiction with a derisive snort.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 May 2024
Reaction from opposition lawmakers, many of whom abstained from the vote, was swift and derisive.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for derisive 
Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un fired off fierce, derisive rhetoric against South Korea in a key ruling party meeting at the end of December.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024
Plenty have judged The Idea of You before even seeing it, labeling it Harry Styles fan fiction with a derisive snort.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 May 2024
Reaction from opposition lawmakers, many of whom abstained from the vote, was swift and derisive.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for derisive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derisive
Adjective
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Injury updates The revolving door in John Worley’s training room has spun at a ridiculous pace lately.Michael Russo, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
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In response, Sweeney compiled a bunch of the most egregious—and, frankly, ridiculous—comments for an Instagram smackdown, posting them alongside behind-the-scenes videos of her intense Christy Martin training regiment.Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But the series, like the film, shows that vampires are also multidimensional — vulnerable, emotional, funny, absurd — and completely out of place in the modern world.Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
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Photo: Their lives often appear dramatic and borderline absurd.Daisy Jones, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Packed with silly hijinks, this 2004 comedy also stars Kristin Chenoweth and Kristin Davis.Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024
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Staff take part in silly skits and showcase rare albums that have not been digitized from the station's giant record collection.Meira Gebel, Axios, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Tucker Carlson's Fox News replacement:Jesse Watters is perfectly pathetic These 3 Arizona spots were ranked among top US dive bars for food.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2024
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The over is the obvious bet here given the pathetic state of both defenses.Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near derisive
Cite this Entry
“Derisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derisive. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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