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Laughter may or may not be the best medicine—your mileage may vary—but it’s essential to understanding the verb deride. To deride someone or something is not merely to criticize or insult them, but to lower them (or attempt to lower them) in others’ esteem by making them appear ridiculous or worthy of mockery. This meaning is reflected in the word’s origins: deride comes from the Latin verb deridēre, a combination of the prefix de- (“to reduce or make lower”) and ridēre, meaning “to laugh.” Ridēre echoes in other English words as well, including ridicule and ridiculous. Ridicule functions as both verb (“to make fun of”) and noun (“the act of making fun of”), while ridiculous describes what arouses or deserves ridicule or mockery. More obscure than either of these ridēre descendants is the medical term risorius, which refers to a narrow band of muscle fibers in the face that reach to the corners of the mouth to make smiling possible. One does not necessarily need one’s risorius to deride something—people in the act of deriding may appear quite angry, even—but inspiring the bitter, contemptuous laughter of those within earshot is often the goal.
Synonyms
Examples of deride in a Sentence
Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 10 July 2024
The provision was celebrated by LGBTQ+ advocates and derided by conservatives.
—Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 5 July 2024
Berry’s Catwoman was critically derided upon its release in 2004, and comic book fans expressed irritation that the film’s vision of the antihero bore almost no resemblance to the DC source material.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 July 2024
If Trump wanted to blast Michael Cohen, a controversial witness in the New York case who frequently openly derides Trump in media appearances and on other platforms, Juan Merchan could penalize Trump with jail.
—Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for deride 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deride.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Deride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deride. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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