ridicule
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
Related Words
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
- ridiculer noun
- self-ridicule noun
- unridiculed adjective
Etymology
Origin of ridicule
First recorded in 1665–75; from Latin rīdiculum “a joke,” equivalent to rīdēre “to laugh” + -i- -i- + -culum -cule 2
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.
He attracted online ridicule in 2019 when he replied to his own social media post with: "Fantastic. Great move. Well done Angus".
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
Over time, cadets concentrating in social sciences formed an elite enclave, which became an object of resentment and ridicule among some more hidebound officers.
From Slate • Feb. 9, 2026
“I wanted to laugh with them and sometimes their naivete is funny and endearing. But I never wanted to ridicule them. Of course, it’s a very scary thing to try and do.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2025
The singer's widow, Nicoletta Mantonvani, told local media that she was "angry and upset" at what she called the decision to "ridicule" her late husband.
From BBC • Dec. 2, 2025
He concluded by saying he would rather have an ape for a grandfather than be descended from a man who introduced ridicule into a serious scientific discussion.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
