scoffer

[ skaw-fer, skof-er ]

noun

1. a person who mocks or makes fun of someone or something, often of religion or moral values:

   We need courage when facing scoffers who jeer at our faith and make ironic comments about it.

   Scoffers may wonder how a small-scale, one-day Laurel and Hardy festival could ever draw attendees from around the world.

Word History and Origins

Origin of scoffer¹

scoff ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

But it would be more embarrassing to lose to a boy, clucked the scoffers.

From Literature

Burnet’s argument was met with widespread horror; as Herbert Croft, the bishop of Hereford, put it, ‘This way of philosophizing all from natural causes, I fear, will make the whole world turn scoffers.’

From Literature

On a day like Tuesday, when many of us in Washington may have taken comfort in the uncommon warmth, scoffers might have assured us that it was much warmer on the same date in 1964.

From Washington Post

Meanwhile, scoffers believe she had mental health problems.

From Fox News

Regardless of the validity of the Rhoda Wise narrative - scoffers note that she was known to have mental health problems - people still arrive by the busload.

From Washington Times

Related Words

• agnostic
• cynic
• dissenter
• doubter
• pessimist
• questioner