laughingstock

as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of his nerdy clothes made him the laughingstock of the schoolyard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 laughingstock However, the White Sox still remain a laughingstock. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025 With the help of Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian, Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, Irsay turned the Colts from a longtime laughingstock into a perennial title contender, even winning a Super Bowl title. Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025 The rebrand became an immediate laughingstock, described by critics as out-of-touch corporate jargon. Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025 Then, there were the biggest winners of the night, the Mavericks, the team that had been the laughingstock of the NBA after their shocking decision to trade Luka Dončić in February. William Guillory, New York Times, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for laughingstock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laughingstock
Noun
  • But one Democratic member of the FCC tells her that Carr can't pull a license just because the administration doesn't like a joke or criticism.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
  • After general manager Bill Guerin spoke to reporters, declining to go into detail about the ongoing contract negotiations, superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov spoke to reporters, as well, smiling big, cracking jokes, and declaring his love for Minnesota.
    Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That monster is Gregers Werle (Alexander Hurt), who returns to his home town only to find that his childhood friend Hjalmar Ekdal (a superbly comic Nick Westrate) has been living in a fool’s paradise.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
  • An affable dad who avoids divisive topics like politics and religion in favor of gentler, autobiographical material that tends to cast him as a well-meaning fool, the Tennessee native is also the rare comic capable of appealing to, or at least not actively alienating, a broad swathe of viewers.
    Judy Berman, Time, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laughingstock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laughingstock. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on laughingstock

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!