ridicule

[ rid-i-kyool ]

noun

1. speech or action intended to cause contemptuous laughter at a person or thing; derision.

   Synonyms: irony, satire, sarcasm, raillery, mockery

verb (used with object)

, rid·i·culed, rid·i·cul·ing.

1. to deride; make fun of.

   Synonyms: lampoon, satirize, burlesque, twit, rally, chaff, banter

ridicule

/ ˈrɪdɪˌkjuːl /

noun

1. language or behaviour intended to humiliate or mock; derision

verb

1. tr to make fun of, mock, or deride

Derived Forms

• ˈridiˌculer, noun

Other Words From

• ridi·culer noun
• self-ridi·cule noun
• un·ridi·culed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ridicule¹

First recorded in 1665–75; from Latin rīdiculum “a joke,” equivalent to rīdēre “to laugh” + -i- -i- + -culum -cule ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of ridicule¹

C17: from French, from Latin rīdiculus , from rīdēre to laugh

Synonym Study

Ridicule, deride, mock, taunt imply making game of a person, usually in an unkind, jeering way. To ridicule is to make fun of, either sportively and good-humoredly, or unkindly with the intention of humiliating: to ridicule a pretentious person. To deride is to assail one with scornful laughter: to deride a statement of belief. To mock is sometimes playfully, sometimes insultingly, to imitate and caricature the appearance or actions of another: She mocked the seriousness of his expression. To taunt is to call attention to something annoying or humiliating, usually maliciously and exultingly and often in the presence of others: to taunt a candidate about his defeat in an election.

Example Sentences

In addition to pressuring the agency to pursue certain investigations and not others, and ridiculing his Justice Department leaders and Mueller, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey amid the Russia investigation.

From Los Angeles Times

Their chemistry and understanding of Cuban culture hits different when they pronounce “Paramount+” like a Cuban uncle and it's always from a place of endearment instead of ridicule.

From Salon

None of this nuance is reflected in the TikTok trend, which reduces Timmy, and by extension wheelchair users and disability, to one-dimensional ridicule.

From BBC

“They ridiculed us and belittled us,” she said of her opponents, adding that they called her “every depraved slur in the book.”

From Los Angeles Times

The 37-year-old university lecturer's routine catapulted her to global attention and ridicule, spawned conspiracy theories about her qualification, and reignited criticism of breaking's inclusion in the Olympics.

From BBC

Related Words

• caricature
• contempt
• derision
• disdain
• jeer
• laughter
• mockery
• parody
• sarcasm
• satire
• scorn
• taunt
• taunting