Ridiculing
/ˈrɪdɪˌkjuːlɪŋ/
verbB2present participle
Definition
Ridiculing is the action of laughing at or saying things to make someone or something look silly or foolish. It often means not respecting the person or idea and can hurt feelings. People ridicule others to show they think those others are wrong or strange.
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See It in Action
Making fun of someone to show they are silly or wrong
- •The children were ridiculing the new student because of his accent.
- •She was ridiculing his idea during the meeting, which made him feel bad.
- •People ridiculed the comedian’s unusual outfit.
Mocking or laughing at something in a disrespectful way
- •The movie was ridiculing the government’s policies.
- •He ridiculed the rules as being too strict and unnecessary.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ridiculing" like "making fun," but more serious and often unkind
- ✓Picture someone laughing loudly and pointing at another person who made a mistake
- ✓It's the feeling when someone jokes about you in a way that makes you feel small or embarrassed
- ✓Sounds like "rid-ic-you-ling" → imagine someone saying "ridiculous" in a teasing voice to make fun
- ✓Think of cartoons where characters laugh at a funny mistake, but sometimes it feels mean
- ✓NOT like "joking" (which can be friendly), ridiculing usually shows disrespect or mockery
- ✓NOT like "praising" (giving compliments), ridiculing is the opposite — it lowers someone’s value
- ✓NOT like "criticizing" (pointing out faults politely), ridiculing is harsh and often cruel
Try Other Words
- •Mocking: copying or making fun of someone to show disrespect (Use when the action includes copying or imitating)
- •Teasing: playful or sometimes annoying making fun (Use when the tone is lighter or friendly)
- •Deriding: expressing strong disrespect or scorn (Use in formal or strong negative contexts)
- •Laughing at: showing amusement at someone’s expense (Use in casual speech)
Unboxing
- •Prefix/root/suffix: "ridicule" (root) + "-ing" (present participle suffix showing ongoing action)
- •Etymology: From Latin "ridiculus" meaning laughable or absurd, through French into English
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to mean making someone or something appear silly or absurd
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe behavior where people insult or make fun of others in a disrespectful way
Reflect & Connect
•How can ridiculing affect someone's feelings or confidence in real life?
•When is it okay to make fun of someone, and when does it become ridiculing?
Fill in the blanks
1.People often start ridiculing others when they ___ different or make mistakes.
2.Ridiculing someone usually causes ___ feelings, not friendship or respect.
3.Unlike joking, ridiculing shows ___ rather than kindness or humor.
4.The comedian was ridiculing ___ behavior to make a point about society.
5.She stopped ridiculing him after she realized it was ___ his feelings.
6.When someone is ridiculing you, it is important to ___ how it affects you.
7.Ridiculing often happens in groups where people want to ___ others to feel better about themselves.