ridicule

1 of 2

noun

rid·​i·​cule ˈri-də-ˌkyül 

: the act of ridiculing : derision, mockery

ridicule

2 of 2

verb

ridiculed; ridiculing

transitive verb

: to make fun of

ridiculer noun

Synonyms

Noun

• derision
• mockery
• sport

Verb

• deride
• gibe
• jibe
• jeer
• laugh (at)
• mock
• scout
• shoot down
• skewer

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

Noun

Most South Africans are reacting to this with a mixture of disgust and ridicule. —Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced ridicule on social media on Saturday night following the Canadians’ loss to the U.S. in a 4 Nations Face-Off game. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025

Verb

Whereas you might be ridiculed for being glued to your phone at an NBA game, here the competition is an entirely dual-screen experience. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025

Their final conflict goes down on Silver’s yacht in the middle of the open water, as Silver ridicules Kreese for his complicated relationship with Johnny. —Nick Caruso, TVLine, 15 Feb. 2025

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

Phrases Containing ridicule

• figure of fun/ridicule
• hold (someone) up to (public) ridicule
• self-ridicule
• subject/object of ridicule

Rhymes for ridicule

• minuscule
• molecule
• overrule
• poiseuille
• reticule
• vestibule
• ampoule
• bascule
• carpool
• cesspool
• ferrule
• footstool

Kids Definition

ridicule

1 of 2 noun

rid·​i·​cule ˈrid-ə-ˌkyü(ə)l 

: the act of making fun of someone or something : derision

ridicule

2 of 2 verb

ridiculed; ridiculing

: to make fun of : deride

ridiculer noun