ridicule
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
ridicules,
present (3rd person singular)
-
ridiculed,
past participle, past
-
ridiculing
present participle
noun
verb
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
ridiculesimple
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ridiculessimple
-
have ridiculedperfect
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has ridiculedperfect
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am ridiculingprogressive
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are ridiculingprogressive
-
is ridiculingprogressive
-
have been ridiculingperfect progressive
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has been ridiculingperfect progressive
Past
-
ridiculedsimple
-
had ridiculedperfect
-
was ridiculingprogressive
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were ridiculingprogressive
-
had been ridiculingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ridicule
First recorded in 1665–75; from Latin rīdiculum “a joke,” equivalent to rīdēre “to laugh” + -i- -i- + -culum -cule 2
Explanation
When you ridicule someone, you mock or make fun of them. They become the object of your ridicule or mockery. Your bad behavior might bring ridicule on your parents, who raised you to know better. The word ridicule is related to ridiculous. If you ridicule a friend, you try to make them look ridiculous. But now that isn't very friendly! Both words come from the Latin redire which means to laugh. When you are ridiculed, you are made a laughing stock, but being the object of ridicule is never funny.
Vocabulary lists containing ridicule
English Words Derived from French, List 1
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List 6
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Excerpt from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Atletico often use their social media accounts to respond to rivals, repeatedly posting on X this summer to ridicule Barcelona over their pursuit of Atletico's talisman Julian Alvarez.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
When Regan cheerfully tells another disturbed child, “I was possessed by a demon. Oh, it’s OK. He’s gone!” ridicule is the correct response.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
While returning to Southern California brought the Bruins’ starting quarterback closer to his roots and family, the social media ridicule chased him cross-country, targeting not just him, but his parents too.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
"He was being subjected to relentless scrutiny, including ridicule, discrediting absolutely every detail of his life," Baron-Cohen said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
How about I don't do anything to add to the ridicule?
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
When Charlie Brown joyfully returns to his friends with the spindly little tree, the gang ridicules his choice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2024
When Harris doubts or ridicules his stature, his wealth, the size of his crowds, or whatever, he feels compelled to fight back and restore his eminent centrality at once.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2024
Padden said during an announcement of the bill that “it ridicules and demeans people.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 2, 2024
This is a show that ridicules the genre's feverish dedication to pimping childhood trauma and other excuses for hyper-masculinity by doubling down on the deep friendship that keeps Harley and Ivy firmly rooted.
From Salon ● Feb. 9, 2023
However, the medical community ridicules him for the effort, and he’s never able to repeat his success.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
She ridiculed Lee's latest overture, calling it "the climax of the farce that everyone should watch" and said the military's demand her country apologise was "quite ridiculous."
From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026
Stevenson said that since her mistake she had been ridiculed and bullied online.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg even made it a point to ride his bike to work, a choice that Trump ridiculed.
From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026
Dundon’s move was widely criticized — and ridiculed — after the Hurricanes on Thursday posted a picture of the engravings on social media.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
There was vehemence in his voice, and I felt I was its object, as if I had already ridiculed Dr. Pérez.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
At a demonstration outside the Parliament building in the Bulgarian capital, a giant screen looped videos and memes ridiculing politicians.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 11, 2025
Times columnist Bill Plaschke agreed, saying — in L.A. circles — the portrayal would be akin to mocking Sandy Koufax, ridiculing John Wooden or trashing Vin Scully.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2024
Raising his phone to capture the confrontation on video, the senator began ridiculing her.
From New York Times ● May 26, 2024
Both Daniels and Trump, who is the actual defendant, come out of these exchanges sounding like schoolchildren ridiculing each other.
From Slate ● May 10, 2024
It's not going to work, said a ridiculing voice in her head.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
