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.
youngsters began to mock the helpless wino
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
In rare internet form, it isn’t born out of ridicule or snark; most jokes play on how catchy the song is.—Waiss Aramesh, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2024 The anti-aging movement has also gotten a boost — and a fair share of ridicule — from extreme tales of rich immortality biohackers such as Los Angeles multimillionaire Bryan Johnson, who claims that death is no longer inevitable.—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 15 June 2024
Verb
Lanthimos ridicules mankind’s treachery in films that, scene by scene, are not provocative, just crass.—Armond White, National Review, 21 June 2024 And so those who wear masks are ridiculed, scientists reporting on COVID-19 risks are cast as fearmongers, and those with long COVID are dismissed as having anxiety disorders.—Marianne Cooper, Scientific American, 18 June 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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