1
as in insulting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value
a literary snob, she invariably used the derisory term "the boob tube" when referring to television
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ridiculous
so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter
the pawnbroker offered what I regarded as a derisory amount for the diamond ring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derisory
Adjective
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Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.
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What Florence has been doing is consistent and insulting.
Adjective
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Houssem Aouar finally spied a gap in the Austrian defence and sent Mahrez through to score, sparking jubilation before Sasa Kalajdzic’s header confirmed a ridiculous ending to a game that was dramatic, bleak and then dramatic again.
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This laptop can absolutely handle a ridiculous number of tabs.
Adjective
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Tribunals have been appointed, and Coriolanus’ scornful elitism strikes them as too heavy a price for his military protection.
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Atletico did not believe this was a serious attempt to sign the player, and reacted with more angry and scornful social media posts.
Adjective
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The 41-year-old is still an elite NBA player, which is still an absurd reality to consider.
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The thesis rests on a claim that would have sounded absurd a year ago.
Adjective
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The man didn’t catch Serena’s contemptuous expression, however, too busy peeling bills from a money clip and pressing them into his date’s hand.
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The fantasy of transforming a cold or contemptuous man through the sheer force of one’s love has caused real harm, and the critique of it is warranted.
Adjective
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Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
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After these first three majors — and after a pathetic showing this week at Shinnecock — there's no reason to bet against it.
Adjective
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Amusingly enough, someone who was neither perplexed nor disdainful was a young cast member by the name of Stephen Colbert.
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His whole behavior toward women is so disdainful.
Adjective
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Every player with a pulse had six suitors throwing silly money around.
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Some scenes in the movie are light and silly, including those pairing Maddie with a lesbian friend, played by Kate Berlant, who clearly loves her.
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Cite this Entry
“Derisory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derisory. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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