as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the derisive performances of some of the singers on the talent show
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Recent Examples of derisive
Montagu published a substantial essay on Shakespeare, defending him against a derisive assessment by Voltaire, which helped to elevate the Bard’s reputation and to connect it lastingly with English national identity.
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Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un fired off fierce, derisive rhetoric against South Korea in a key ruling party meeting at the end of December.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024
Plenty have judged The Idea of You before even seeing it, labeling it Harry Styles fan fiction with a derisive snort.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 May 2024
Reaction from opposition lawmakers, many of whom abstained from the vote, was swift and derisive.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for derisive 
Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un fired off fierce, derisive rhetoric against South Korea in a key ruling party meeting at the end of December.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024
Plenty have judged The Idea of You before even seeing it, labeling it Harry Styles fan fiction with a derisive snort.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 2 May 2024
Reaction from opposition lawmakers, many of whom abstained from the vote, was swift and derisive.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for derisive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derisive
Adjective
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The duplication of effort, the ridiculous hours, and the endless inefficiencies were invisible.Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024
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The man’s ridiculous splashing now awoke a strange tender feeling in Craint, such as one might feel for something dear and helpless.Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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This absurd claim is an extension of their relentless obsession to remove checks and balances within our government.Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
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The three books so far are deeply romantic, gorgeously tragic, smart as hell, and written in this absurd baroque, irreverent language.Constance Grady, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But while the 118 is able to save both Celeste and her mother-in-law’s final resting place, a smug Trent trips and drops the vase, an appropriate punchline to a very silly cold open.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
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Read more Today's talkers Take a break from the election with these silly, happy shows.Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The upcoming sequel to This Is Spinal Tap will be turning the pathetic knobs all the way to 11.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
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After a downright pathetic few weeks, the Russians regrouped—or at least got regrouped enough.Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near derisive
Cite this Entry
“Derisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derisive. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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