What does mockery mean?
Mockery is ridicule directed toward a person, group, action, or institution, usually with the intention of humiliating it or making it seem worthy of contempt. The word can describe the attitude itself, as in public mockery, or identify its object, as in calling an institution a mockery. In contemporary usage, mockery often suggests a power imbalance: the person or institution being mocked is placed on display for others to laugh at or dismiss. However, it can also be used more neutrally for strong criticism or a conspicuous failure. For example, a poorly executed policy may be described as a mockery of a serious commitment. Compared with the milder term teasing, mockery is generally more hostile and public. It also differs from sarcasm, which relies primarily on irony or an opposite meaning; mockery requires the target to be treated as ridiculous or contemptible.
nounRidicule or contemptuous amusement directed at someone or something. It can also refer to a person or thing that is treated with contempt or presented as deserving ridicule.
- Ridicule or contemptuous amusement expressed toward a person, group, action, or thing.
- A person or thing that is regarded with contempt or treated as an object of ridicule.
"The actor became a figure of mockery after the scandal became public."
"Her comments were intended to encourage debate, but they were dismissed as mockery."
"The abandoned fortress became a mockery of the empire's grand ambitions."
The plural is mockeries, with the second vowel pronounced /i/.
"The novel explores the mockeries faced by people who live in the public eye."
The sharpest mockery often begins as praise, turning admiration into a weapon.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mockery come from?
Mockery entered Middle English in the late medieval period, formed from mock and the suffix -ery, which was used to indicate an action, quality, or result. The word belongs to a family that includes mocker and mockable, all sharing the idea of treating something with ridicule or imitation. Its meaning developed from the act of mocking to the resulting ridicule or contemptuous amusement.
Related word forms
How mockery is actually used
Generally formal or literary. It can describe hostile ridicule, but is also used in contexts where something is judged ineffective, absurd, or unworthy, such as 'a mockery of a serious effort.'
Easily confused with mockery
A mock is an imitation or a teasing act that imitates someone or something, whereas mockery is the broader attitude or act of ridiculing someone or something.