ridicule

American  

[rid-i-kyool] / ˈrɪd ɪˌkyul /

noun

1. speech or action intended to cause contemptuous laughter at a person or thing; derision.

   Synonyms:

   irony, satire, sarcasm, raillery, mockery

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verb (used with object)

ridiculed, ridiculing

1. to deride; make fun of.

   Synonyms:

   lampoon, satirize, burlesque, twit, rally, chaff, banter

ridicule British  

/ ˈrɪdɪˌkjuːl /

noun

1. language or behaviour intended to humiliate or mock; derision

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verb

1. (tr) to make fun of, mock, or deride

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

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.

Example Sentences

In most industries, wearing gear splashed with the face of a CEO would invite ridicule.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

It will be hard for British politicians to forget his abuse of Sir Keir Starmer and ridicule of the Royal Navy.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

But across the rest of social media, the film and its PR campaign have drawn ridicule with several internet users posting screenshots showing cinemas that have sold no seats for screenings of "Melania."

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

And while Congress, Europe and law may hold no terrors for our president, we all know ridicule hits him in his soft, white underbelly.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

I wanted to ridicule him for using chatspeak IRL, but I found myself lacking the energy.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Related Words

• caricature
• contempt
• derision
• disdain
• jeer
• laughter
• mockery
• parody
• sarcasm
• satire
• scorn
• taunt
• taunting