1
as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of after yet another last place finish, the team became nothing more than a derision to all but its most loyal fans

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in ridicule
the making of unkind jokes as a way of showing one's scorn for someone or something their absurd behavior on the awards show became a source of derision for comedians

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of derision Byun recalls watching in disbelief and dismay as his friend became a figure of almost universal public derision in a span of a few short weeks. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025 Trump’s blatant derision for the central bank leader had previously sent the averages down. Julie Coleman, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025 But some of those moves appear at odds with Mr. Patel’s past derision of the F.B.I.’s aggressive approach to Jan. 6. Adam Goldman, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 Isolationism as a Slur In the postwar era, isolationism devolved from a coherent strategic perspective into a term of political derision. Andrew Latham, JSTOR Daily, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for derision
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision
Noun
  • Surrounded by her animals at home, Lin watched re-runs of The Big Bang Theory, practicing the cadence of the words, the rising sound of a joke, the pacing of each phrase.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025
  • The site’s users took great joy in watching the feud in real time, responding to the showdown between the president and the world’s wealthiest man with jokes and memes.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • The Guardian Officer responded to my protests with dirt and ridicule.
    Jeff Kaufman, Time, 30 May 2025
  • His private life was made the subject of national gossip and ridicule.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • Lazard had the worst drop rate among wide receivers with at least 45 targets each of the last two seasons: 17.8 in 2024, 17.9 in 2023.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • Tianwen 2 will arrive in orbit around the comet in 2035, then measure the target using its onboard instrument suite (all from afar; Tianwen-2 will not land on or sample 311P/PANSTARRS).
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on derision

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!