DERISIVE Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

derisive

adjective

di-ˈrī-siv

Definition of derisive

as in ridiculous

so foolish or pointless as to be worthy of scornful laughter the derisive performances of some of the singers on the talent show

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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 derisive Educators were fired for making insensitive comments about him on their personal social-media accounts; a firefighter in Toledo lost his job for posting a derisive eulogy on Facebook; various airline employees were suspended for disparaging Kirk online. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026 This was met by derisive laughter in the locker room, where, coincidentally, the director of the FBI was chugging a beer and joining in the uproar. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026 The revelation quickly made headlines, and the social-media peanut gallery was sharply derisive. — Emma Sandler, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2025 There is nothing quite like experiencing a truly terrible film with a room full of gleefully derisive bad-movie fans. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for derisive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for derisive

Adjective

The university merely gives mortality a ridiculous stage on which to perform.

— Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Of course his trick memory, hyper-long career and borrowings of Pravda from the colleague codenamed CYCLOPS are frankly ridiculous, especially since the latter (don’t tell Venusian Cheney) bore two functional eyes.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of ridiculous

Adjective

Alongside Kardashian, Watts, Nash-Betts and Paulson, the series stars Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka and Glenn Close, who all one-up each other with deliriously absurd lines of dialogue.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
The title comes from a phrase that became part of his creative vocabulary and began appearing in sketches whenever an absurd situation called for a perfectly incredulous response.

— Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of absurd

Adjective

With so many of its procedural plots echoing and sometimes directly referencing real-world events, Cupertino is more substantive and less inherently silly than Elsbeth.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Almost sounds silly now, with the way the team has stumbled and bumbled its way through the first four games.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of silly

Adjective

Trump’s super intelligence rebrand can ultimately be read in a couple ways, though arguably neither are particularly nuanced or incisive — just further indicative of the daily deluge of stupid.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
Once upon a time, the idea that the world was growing stupider was mostly confined to the realm of dyspeptic reactionary polemic.

— James Marriott, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of stupid

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derisions

derisive

derisory

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“Derisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derisive. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of derisive

adjective

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