derision
Americannoun
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ridicule; mockery.
The inept performance elicited derision from the audience.
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an object of ridicule.
noun
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the act of deriding; mockery; scorn
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an object of mockery or scorn
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of derision
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English derisioun, from Old French derision, from Late Latin dērīsiōn-, stem of dērīsiō, from Latin dērīs(us) “mocked” (past participle of dērīdēre “to mock”; see deride) + -iō -ion
Explanation
If people are laughing at you, making fun of you, and acting as if you're worthless, they're treating you with derision. Derision is mean and attacking — it's a form of contempt. Derision is more than just making fun of someone — it's mocking someone so forcefully and with such venom that you discredit the person completely. Derision can include literally laughing at someone or just treating a person like a joke. You know how celebrities and politicians do embarrassing things from time to time? They're usually treated with derision afterward: people mock them, treat them with contempt, and try to make the person who messed up seem completely worthless.
Vocabulary lists containing derision
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Of Mice and Men
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Lord of the Flies
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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.
“Ship Fever,” the title novella in Andrea Barrett’s collection of short stories, is the tale of a young doctor who, stung by the derision of the woman he loves, offers his services at the station.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The contretemps about the visa scandal pushed #Andy — López Beltrán’s knickname — to the top of social media sites in Mexico, drawing both praise and derision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Then, like Odysseus himself, she aimed at her main target of derision: Matt Damon.
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
It earned enough derision that El-Sayed put out a statement to his followers about how such comments were “unkind and unhelpful” and that if you supported him, “please stop.”
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
When he left us she bid him goodbye using his surname, with neither irony nor derision.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions 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.
