ridicule
/ˈrɪdɪkjuːl
/noun [mass noun]
The subjection of someone or something to contemptuous and dismissive language or behaviour: he is held up as an object of ridicule...
- Sheriff William Holligan said Reilly was an object of ridicule and his treatment by officers was unprofessional.
- A person who snores is often an object of ridicule and causes sleepless nights for others.
- Therefore, if Rousseau were interested in spiritualism, during his lifetime it need not have made him an object of ridicule.
Synonyms
mockery, derision, laughter, scorn, scoffing, contempt, jeering, sneering, sneers, jibes, jibing, joking, teasing, taunts, taunting, ragging, chaffing, twitting, raillery, sarcasm, satire, lampoon, burlesque, caricature, parody
informal kidding, kidology, ribbing, joshing
British informal winding up, taking the mickey
North American informal goofing, razzing, pulling someone's chain
Australian/New Zealand informal chiacking
archaic sport
British vulgar slang taking the piss
verb [with object]
Subject to contemptuous and dismissive language or behaviour: his theory was ridiculed and dismissed...
- Singleton strikes the difficult balance between recapitulating stereotypes and ridiculing them in broad burlesque.
- The man was ridiculed, his claims dismissed, and his ethics attacked.
- It is a noble and powerful impulse, one not casually to be ridiculed or dismissed.
Synonyms
deride, mock, laugh at, heap scorn on, hold up to shame, hold up to ridicule, expose to ridicule, jeer at, jibe at, sneer at, show up, treat with contempt, scorn, make fun of, poke fun at, make jokes about, laugh to scorn, scoff at, pillory, be sarcastic about, satirize, lampoon, burlesque, caricature, parody, tease, taunt, rag, chaff, twit
informal kid, rib, josh, wind up, take the mickey out of
North American informal goof on, rag on, razz, pull someone's chain
Australian/New Zealand informal chiack, poke mullock at, sling off at
British vulgar slang take the piss (out of)
dated make sport of
archaic quiz, flout (at)
Origin
Late 17th century: from French, or from Latin ridiculum, neuter (used as a noun) of ridiculus 'laughable', from ridere 'to laugh'.