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

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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

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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 The derision from the Right was predictable enough, but there was also open dismay from Democrats who would have kept silent at the same clip only a year ago. Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025 In a movie climate where remakes tend to draw sneers of derision and claims that people have just gotten too lazy to invent anything new, Disney’s remakes of its own products are always a chief target. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025 So Vancouver decided to hold onto its own players, a decision that’s been met with widespread derision and criticism in the market. Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025 This doesn’t just hold for national politics, where derision for programs promoting racial equity has become a staple of modern conservatism, at times with ugly undertones. U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for derision
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derision
Noun
  • Trump sued Maher in 2013 for $5 million after the comedian made a crass joke about his mother and an orangutan.
    Steff Danielle Thomas, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2025
  • While Instagram and TikTok chase global virality, Fizz leans hard into hyper relevance: the inside joke, the anonymous confession, the econ final everyone just bombed.
    Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Best Practices for Encouraging Experimentation Establish Psychological Safety: Leaders should create an environment where employees feel safe to share ideas and take risks without fear of ridicule or punishment.
    Mamie Jones, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Spiranac, of course, is referencing what golf fans have come to ridicule.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The sturdy build quality ensures durability against small knocks and bumps, which is important for something built with children as its target market.
    Tantse Walter, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Recently, however, green-card holders convicted of minor crimes many years ago who previously were not targets have been detained, and the Trump administration is seeking to deport them.
    Albert Sun, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Derision.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derision. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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