DERISION Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

derision

noun

di-ˈri-zhən

Definition of derision

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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 But yet, Scalia didn’t have the scorn, the contempt, the derision. — NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026 Marvel When Disney announced its Infinity Vision certification brand a few months ago, it was met with some confusion and derision. — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Despite some derision, the competitions have continued as participants embrace the absurdity and young people seek connection. — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 Plus, Cunningham is in her eighth WNBA season, roughly twice the length of the average player’s career, and Hill still found her accomplishments worthy of derision. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for derision

Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision

Noun

Its frothy, pastel hues and single moment of contrived levity (when one dance claims a trumpet solo for a joke about jamming her toe) is one of those quintessential examples of Balanchine’s repertoire showing its age.

— Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
And the Longhorns’ quarterback, Arch Manning, was the butt of the joke.

— Noah White, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of joke

Noun

The lawsuit drew some ridicule from top executives, including at other companies, given the decline of cable TV and the rise of streaming, but the theatrical concerns were real.

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Another example is ridicule and mockery of stingy or braggadocious individuals, which keeps greed and bravado in check.

— Christopher von Rueden, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of ridicule

Noun

The Commission’s proposed 46% target falls short of that ambition, and of its own analysis, which identifies 50% as the economically optimal pathway to 2040.

— Sophie Dembinski, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Still, Musk has a track record of setting optimistic release targets for Tesla products, only to miss them by years.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of target

Noun

Don’t let the building’s modern facade fool you, the rooms are minimalist yet warm with wood flooring, floral wallpaper, and hand-knotted rugs.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
In these labors, Carson is akin to two other recent laureates, Jon Fosse and László Krasznahorkai, our foremost writers of holy fools.

— Merve Emre, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of fool

Browse Nearby Words

de rigueur

derision

derisions

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Style

“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of derision

noun

Example Sentences

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