mockery

noun

mock·​ery ˈmä-k(ə-)rē How to pronounce mockery (audio)
ˈmȯ-
plural mockeries
1
: insulting or contemptuous action or speech : derision
laying himself open to the jeers and mockeries of his rebellious subjectsE. A. Freeman
2
: a subject of laughter, derision, or sport
making him turn himself into a merry mockery of all he had once held dearO. St. John Gogarty
3
a
: a counterfeit appearance : imitation
if it was not a man it was a huge and grotesque mockery of manE. 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 mockeryGeorge Eliot

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
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.
What California is doing is also wrong but there has to be some response to what Donald Trump and the Republican Party are trying to do to maintain control and make a mockery of the 2026 midterm elections. Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2025 But he’s consumed by anger over the museum debacle and its fallout, crushing his self-worth and making a mockery of the male ambition wired into his DNA. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025 How Has Trump Impacted South Park’s Ratings? South Park’s mockery of Trump and his administration have resulted in a major ratings boost for the show. Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025 To allow some people to vote twice makes a mockery of our electoral systems. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mockery

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mockery was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Mockery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mockery. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

mockery

noun
mock·​ery ˈmäk-(ə-)rē How to pronounce mockery (audio)
ˈmȯk-
plural mockeries
1
: insulting action or speech
2
: someone or something that is laughed at
3
: a ridiculous or poor imitation

More from Merriam-Webster on mockery

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