deride

[dih-rahyd]

verb (used with object)

derided, deriding 

1. to laugh at in scorn or contempt; scoff or jeer at; mock.

   Synonyms: rally, banter, gibe, flout, taunt

deride

/ dɪˈraɪd /

verb

1. (tr) to speak of or treat with contempt, mockery, or ridicule; scoff or jeer at

Other Word Forms

• derider noun
• deridingly adverb
• overderide verb (used with object)
• underided adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of deride¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin dērīdēre “to mock,” equivalent to dē- de- + rīdēre “to laugh”

Word History and Origins

Origin of deride¹

C16: from Latin dērīdēre to laugh to scorn, from _de- + rīdēre to laugh, smile

Synonym Study

See ridicule.

Example Sentences

A sharper debate has opened over social and cultural issues: Should Democrats break with the identity politics — the stuff Republicans deride as “woke” — that animates much of their progressive wing?

From Los Angeles Times

That vast, polycentric mass — long derided by urban experts residing in denser cities — can also be an asset in the years ahead as autonomous mobility becomes ubiquitous.

From Los Angeles Times

Critics had also called out posts in which she falsely claimed voter fraud affected the results of the 2020 presidential election, derided pandemic-era mask mandates and made fun of stating people’s pronouns.

From Los Angeles Times

These missives exploded the myths around a man who has for decades been derided as a cynical and unscrupulous opportunist that cheapened Presley’s legacy while enriching himself at his client’s expense.

From Los Angeles Times

The online right, which had spent the week deriding the idea that the ad had deeper meaning, quickly celebrated the news that Sweeney registered with the GOP.

From Salon

Related Words

• disdain 
• disparage 
• mock 
• ridicule 
• scoff 
• scorn 
• taunt