1
as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of after yet another last place finish, the team became nothing more than a derision to all but its most loyal fans

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2
as in ridicule
the making of unkind jokes as a way of showing one's scorn for someone or something their absurd behavior on the awards show became a source of derision for comedians

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Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of derision The subject of both admiration and derision, Comedian has twice been torn off the wall and eaten. News Desk, Artforum, 25 Oct. 2024 Hoover’s book, which is loosely based on her own experiences with domestic violence growing up, was met with equal acclaim and derision when it was released in 2016. Coleman Spilde, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2024 The most illustrative case might be Edgar Renteria, who was a 32-year-old shortstop coming off a steeply declining 2008 season when Sabean gave him a two-year, $18.5 million contract that industry observers met with instant derision. Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic, 12 Dec. 2024 The crowd in Angola watching Biden’s speech applauded the news politely, but social media users in the U.S. reacted with derision and fury. Jeff Cercone, Austin American-Statesman, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for derision 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision
Noun
  • The comedian made an appearance on CNN New Year's Eve Live special alongside Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen and her fiery jokes targeted toward the network, and Democrats have quickly taken off online.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
  • And their seeming failure to look at it has become a running joke with my husband.
    Philip Galanes, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But overjoyed liberals seem to again have a discomfiting ally in Trump, who released a curious post-collapse statement that appeared to heap ridicule on Putin.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • 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
Noun
  • The complex, which hosts workshops and exhibitions, is inspiring developers and residents to reconsider the neighborhood as a target for sustainable investment.
    Marina Lopes, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
  • As of October, Japan hosted 2.05 million foreign workers, but the country must more than triple this number by 2040 to meet its economic growth targets, the government's Japan International Cooperation Agency has projected.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

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