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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The first episode’s ridicule of Brown’s religiosity, and its relish of the pre–Civil War mayhem in Bleeding Kansas, made the series seem part of this unfortunate trend.—Martha Bayles, National Review, 24 Oct. 2024 Thus, authenticity isn’t prioritized when missteps are constantly met with ridicule, shame, or undue consequences from leadership.—Cicely Simpson, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
Verb
Far from ridiculing or mocking the Christian faith, Harris was clearly attempting to quiet the protestors, who had interrupted her speech.—Donovan McAbee, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024 In a way reminiscent of a comedic roast, Obama ridiculed former President Trump, N.C.—Alexandria Sands, Axios, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ridicule
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ridicule.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
French or Latin; French, from Latin ridiculum jest
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