ridicule
1 of 2noun
rid·i·cule ˈri-də-ˌkyül 
: the act of ridiculing : derision, mockery
ridicule
2 of 2verb
ridiculed; ridiculing
transitive verb
: to make fun of
ridiculer noun
Synonyms
Noun
- derision
- mockery
- sport
Verb
- deride
- gibe
- jibe
- jeer
- laugh (at)
- mock
- scout
- shoot down
- skewer
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun She didn't show anyone her artwork for fear of ridicule. the early efforts by the suffragists to obtain voting rights for women were met with ridicule Verb The other kids ridiculed him for the way he dressed. They ridiculed all of her suggestions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2023 She was subjected to ridicule by comedians and a top soap opera star, who used a racial slur. —Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2022 Anti-environmental messages increasingly relied on ridicule, which some leading pastors endorsed. —Neall Pogue, The Conversation, 30 Jan. 2023 His hiring as the Indianapolis Colts' interim head coach engendered shock, ridicule, outrage and anger, among other emotions, across the country and NFL itself. —Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 14 Nov. 2022 His hiring as the Indianapolis Colts' interim head coach engendered shock, ridicule, outrage and anger, among other emotions, across the country and NFL itself. —Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Nov. 2022 Sinema is no stranger to media ridicule, and has been repeatedly criticized by media and Democrats for her support of the filibuster, and even her ability to work with Republicans. —Kelsey Koberg, Fox News, 29 Sep. 2022 Some of the Youthful Population office’s inducements for childbearing have invited ridicule and criticism, such as making family expansion a factor for university professors to climb up the academic ladder. —Omid Khazani, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 The 8-second clip went viral, stoked by additional comments from Mack on TikTok and Twitter and sparking backlash from critics, ridicule from the far right, and admiration from her fans. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022 Dallas News, 11 Feb. 2022 Fat suits have historically been used to ostracize and ridicule the characters who wear them; The Whale attributes Charlie’s rapid, bleak decline to his obesity. —Laura Zornosa, Time, 9 Jan. 2023 Institutions that maintain traditionalist positions draw not simply ridicule from the wider world but widespread calls for punitive actions against them. —Carl R. Trueman, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022 Here in the United States, politicians and radio talk-show hosts regularly ridicule the notion of global warming and attack the integrity of climate scientists. —Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2012 There are people out there helping, who want to help, who will believe you, who won’t ridicule you, who won’t deny what happened to you. —Michelle Boorstein And Erin Cox, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Nov. 2022 Willy and his boys ridicule Bernard for being a studious nerd. —Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2022 Lubitsch, in a response published in the newspaper, argued that the best way to combat Nazis onscreen was to ridicule them, thereby puncturing their negative mystique. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Mastriano has a strongly right-wing voting record as a state legislator, while Oz, a celebrity TV doctor, has no previous political experience and has been easy to ridicule as out of touch with Pennsylvania voters. —David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
Late-night shows and Saturday Night Live and the amateur comedians of social media have steadily converted him from an object of shame to one of ridicule. —Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2023 She was subjected to ridicule by comedians and a top soap opera star, who used a racial slur. —Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2022 Anti-environmental messages increasingly relied on ridicule, which some leading pastors endorsed. —Neall Pogue, The Conversation, 30 Jan. 2023 His hiring as the Indianapolis Colts' interim head coach engendered shock, ridicule, outrage and anger, among other emotions, across the country and NFL itself. —Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 14 Nov. 2022 His hiring as the Indianapolis Colts' interim head coach engendered shock, ridicule, outrage and anger, among other emotions, across the country and NFL itself. —Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Nov. 2022 Sinema is no stranger to media ridicule, and has been repeatedly criticized by media and Democrats for her support of the filibuster, and even her ability to work with Republicans. —Kelsey Koberg, Fox News, 29 Sep. 2022 Some of the Youthful Population office’s inducements for childbearing have invited ridicule and criticism, such as making family expansion a factor for university professors to climb up the academic ladder. —Omid Khazani, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 The 8-second clip went viral, stoked by additional comments from Mack on TikTok and Twitter and sparking backlash from critics, ridicule from the far right, and admiration from her fans. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Aug. 2022 Verb
Earlier this month, Luther, a former schoolteacher, spoke at a Fannin County GOP forum on how transgender children pose problems in classrooms because other students aren’t allowed to ridicule them. —Dallas News, 11 Feb. 2022 Fat suits have historically been used to ostracize and ridicule the characters who wear them; The Whale attributes Charlie’s rapid, bleak decline to his obesity. —Laura Zornosa, Time, 9 Jan. 2023 Institutions that maintain traditionalist positions draw not simply ridicule from the wider world but widespread calls for punitive actions against them. —Carl R. Trueman, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022 Here in the United States, politicians and radio talk-show hosts regularly ridicule the notion of global warming and attack the integrity of climate scientists. —Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2012 There are people out there helping, who want to help, who will believe you, who won’t ridicule you, who won’t deny what happened to you. —Michelle Boorstein And Erin Cox, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Nov. 2022 Willy and his boys ridicule Bernard for being a studious nerd. —Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2022 Lubitsch, in a response published in the newspaper, argued that the best way to combat Nazis onscreen was to ridicule them, thereby puncturing their negative mystique. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Mastriano has a strongly right-wing voting record as a state legislator, while Oz, a celebrity TV doctor, has no previous political experience and has been easy to ridicule as out of touch with Pennsylvania voters. —David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
French or Latin; French, from Latin ridiculum jest
First Known Use
Noun
1675, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1680, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing ridicule
Kids Definition
ridicule
1 of 2 noun rid·i·cule ˈrid-ə-ˌkyü(ə)l
: the act of making fun of someone or something : derision
ridicule
2 of 2 verb ridiculed; ridiculing
: to make fun of : deride
ridiculer noun
ridiculer
noun
as in tease
a person who causes repeated emotional pain, distress, or annoyance to another any person of great vision has his or her ridiculers, who inevitably fail to appreciate genius and originality Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- tease
- torturer
- harasser
- tormentor
- attacker
- tormenter
- taunter
- teaser
- mocker
- victimizer
- needler
- giber
- derider
- persecutor
- heckler
- jiber
- quizzer
- baiter
- wise guy
- quiz
- jeerer
- smart aleck
- accuser
- belittler
- assailant
- lampooner
- insulter
- detractor
- smart alec
- pest
- kidder
- scorner
- troublemaker
- scoffer
- smarty
- satirist
- wiseacre
- disturber
- blamer
- smartie
- trash-talker
- molester
- smarty-pants
- bother
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- protector
- guard
- defender
- savior
- saviour
- deliverer
- rescuer
- solace
- comforter
- succorer
- champion
- bodyguard
- soother