mockery

noun

mock·​ery ˈmä-k(ə-)rē 

ˈmȯ-

plural mockeries

1

: insulting or contemptuous action or speech : derision

laying himself open to the jeers and mockeries of his rebellious subjects

—E. A. Freeman

2

: a subject of laughter, derision, or sport

making him turn himself into a merry mockery of all he had once held dear

—O. St. John Gogarty

3

a

: a counterfeit appearance : imitation

if it was not a man it was a huge and grotesque mockery of man

—E. R. Burroughs

b

: an insincere, contemptible, or impertinent (see impertinent sense 1a) imitation

makes a mockery of justice

4

: something ridiculously or impudently (see impudent sense 1) unsuitable

in her bitterness she felt that all rejoicing was mockery

—George Eliot

Synonyms

• caricature
• cartoon
• farce
• joke
• parody
• sham
• travesty

Examples of mockery in a Sentence

His kind of personality invites mockery.

the children's cruel mockery of each other

Recent Examples on the Web

But 20 years ago, Jude Law took more of a stiff-upper-lip approach to some undue mockery from the comedian. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 12 Dec. 2024

As usual, Dante mixes mockery with celebration, and the film evolves from a horror movie into a freewheeling send-up of both the holidays and the Hollywood movies that celebrate them. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024

Stirring up negative sentiment about an artist, especially through baseless mockery, has become its own pastime, rewarded by the thrill of a negative feedback loop. —Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 15 Oct. 2024

Despite facing constant mockery about her former size—which was even highlighting by a South Park episode—Lizzo has responded with grace and humor. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mockery

• self-mockery

Kids Definition

mockery

noun

mock·​ery ˈmäk-(ə-)rē 

ˈmȯk-

plural mockeries

1

: insulting action or speech

2

: someone or something that is laughed at

3

: a ridiculous or poor imitation