Mockery
/ˈmɒkəri/
Definitions
2 meaningsRidicule, scorn, or derision.
/ˈmɒkəri/
An act or instance of making fun of someone or something.
The politician's speech was met with widespread mockery from the public.
💡 Simply: Mockery is like when you're making fun of someone or something, but maybe not in a friendly way. Imagine someone imitating your walk in a playful way versus someone making fun of your favorite outfit.
👶 For kids: Making fun of someone in a mean way.
More Examples
His attempts at solving the problem were met with mockery by his colleagues.
The failure of the project was a source of mockery among the competitors.
How It's Used
"The comedian's routine was a biting mockery of political figures."
"He was subject to the mockery of his peers for his eccentric behavior."
A poor or contemptible imitation; a thing that is absurd or ridiculous.
/ˈmɒkəri/
An imitation or sham; a thing that is absurd.
The cheap imitation was a mockery of the original.
💡 Simply: Mockery can also be something that's a bad copy or a silly attempt at something. Like a cake that looks like it was made by a five-year-old, when you wanted a professional-looking cake – that's a mockery!
👶 For kids: Something that is not good and funny in a bad way.
More Examples
The hastily assembled exhibit was a mockery of art.
The hastily thrown together defense was a mockery of a good strategy
How It's Used
"His attempt to establish a utopia was seen as a mockery of reality."
"The parade was a mockery of a traditional celebration."
Idioms & expressions
make a mockery of something
To treat something with disrespect or contempt, to make it seem ridiculous or worthless.
"The new regulations made a mockery of the previous ones."
From Middle English *mokerye*, derived from the verb "mock" (Old French *moquier*), meaning to make fun of or ridicule. The suffix "-ery" denotes an action, process, or state.
Used since the Middle Ages, with Shakespeare frequently employing the word in his plays to describe ridicule or contempt.
Memory tip
Think of someone putting on a silly face to make fun of others.
Word Origin
"to ridicule, make fun of"