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

The damage was so severe that when French President Emmanuel Macron vowed the following day to rebuild and see the cathedral reopened to the public by 2024, he was met with ridicule. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2024

The ad has, therefore, been widely met with resounding ridicule online. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 19 Nov. 2024

Verb

Restoration of a Global Icon When Notre-Dame suffered a catastrophic fire in April 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron was ridiculed by promising the famed Gothic cathedral would be restored in five years — a job that many expected to take decades. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024

Just days after she was mercilessly ridiculed online for bikini pictures captured by the paparazzi (and a subsequent fiery response of her own), the actress continued to show some skin, posting images on social media that showed off her svelte frame and highlighted her ambassadorship with Miu Miu. —Caroline Thayer, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024

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

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