Synonyms of deride

deride

verb

di-ˈrīd 

as in to ridicule

to make (someone or something) the object of unkind laughter

my brothers derided our efforts, but were forced to eat their words when we won first place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ridicule
• mock
• jeer
• taunt
• tease
• jibe
• gibe
• laugh (at)
• parody
• make fun of
• scout
• imitate
• poke fun at
• disparage
• rag on
• make sport of
• skewer
• shoot down
• belittle
• harass
• decry
• scorn
• torment
• cock snooks (at)
• target
• cock a snook (at)
• scoff (at)
• pooh-pooh
• bad-mouth
• satirize
• mimic
• sneer (at)
• pester
• pooh
• heckle
• lampoon
• rag
• razz
• twit
• tweak
• rally
• caricature
• ride
• bait
• pillory
• jive
• needle
• rib
• ape
• kid
• bug
• put down
• take off (on)
• quiz
• parrot
• chaff
• harry
• josh
• catcall
• burlesque
• hassle
• travesty
• barrack

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approve
• endorse
• commend
• applaud
• indorse
• sanction

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deride distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of deride are mock, ridicule, and taunt. While all these words mean "to make an object of laughter of," deride suggests contemptuous and often bitter ridicule.

derided their efforts to start their own business

In what contexts can mock take the place of deride?

The words mock and deride can be used in similar contexts, but mock implies scorn often ironically expressed as by mimicry or sham deference.

youngsters began to mock the helpless wino

When can ridicule be used instead of deride?

While the synonyms ridicule and deride are close in meaning, ridicule implies a deliberate often malicious belittling.

consistently ridiculed everything she said

When might taunt be a better fit than deride?

The words taunt and deride are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge.

hometown fans taunted the visiting team

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of deride

And frankly, the options that do exist aren’t all that stylish—something plus-sized women deride regularly. —Tariro Mzezewa, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Nov. 2024

The Democratic Party moved against Biden, and Kamala Harris, sometimes derided as a lightweight, donned a Howard University sweatshirt, flipped through her formidable Rolodex, and efficiently organized a desperate Party behind her. —The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024

Trump derides Cheney as the prototypical hawkish Republican, blaming the former Wyoming congresswoman for plunging the U.S. into foreign conflicts like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and risking a wider global conflict with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2024

But the caravans that Trump derides almost never make it anywhere near the U.S.-Mexico border. —Eric Lipton, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

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