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
And then there’s the A18 Pro processor, the component that has drawn the most derision among the geekerati.
—
Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
But with the derision came waves of real praise, like Nirvana’s frontman citing their album in his journals as one of his favorite records, and the demand to participate in tribute concerts and, for Dorothy, even to record new material.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Two of the tributes to stars who died in the past year, Rob Reiner and Robert Redford, referenced their politics, and their ability to have an impact even if their activism was prone to derision on the right.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
As the years went on, many challenges were increasingly viewed with derision, including a photo shoot in which contestants were made up to be different races and another in which a contestant whose mother had been shot and paralyzed was made to pose as a gunshot victim.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
But with the derision came waves of real praise, like Nirvana’s frontman citing their album in his journals as one of his favorite records, and the demand to participate in tribute concerts and, for Dorothy, even to record new material.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Two of the tributes to stars who died in the past year, Rob Reiner and Robert Redford, referenced their politics, and their ability to have an impact even if their activism was prone to derision on the right.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
As the years went on, many challenges were increasingly viewed with derision, including a photo shoot in which contestants were made up to be different races and another in which a contestant whose mother had been shot and paralyzed was made to pose as a gunshot victim.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derision
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision
Noun
-
Just ask Harris, whose handling of the border under Biden became a running joke in politics.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
-
Now, if there’s some people telling these jokes at a church service, that would be one thing.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Commercials that show more diversity in family groups and romantic partners, including same-sex couples and interracial families, may over time decrease the ridicule and discrimination experienced by those who are living in nontraditional family settings.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
-
Many parents are afraid to go on the record against a school or coach for fear of retribution against their son or daughter, so for a teenager to go out on the limb and put himself up to possible ridicule was both stunning and courageous.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The group blamed both the army and RSF and said some drones use visual monitoring technology capable of distinguishing targets, raising concerns that the attacks may not have been indiscriminate.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
-
Barca’s No 1 forward target is Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, who club sources believe would be keen to join, while recognising negotiations with Atletico could be very tough.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Trying to control such speech or sanitize any possibility of offense, disagreement, or discomfort, will be a fool’s errand in a diverse democracy.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The king, the fool — there are so many parallels for me.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
