What does ridiculed mean?
Ridiculed is the past tense and past participle of ridicule, meaning to mock or deride a person, idea, or situation with contempt. The word is especially common in formal writing and journalism, where it often describes public or widespread humiliation: a politician may be ridiculed in the press, or a proposal may be ridiculed by critics. Using it as a past participle, as in "was ridiculed," emphasizes the recipient's experience of being made an object of mockery. Ridiculed is more strongly critical and contemptuous than simply criticized or questioned. Its related adjective, ridiculous, focuses on qualities that seem laughable, absurd, or unworthy of serious attention. Together, the words describe both the act of public mockery and the character of something judged fit to be mocked.
verbTo mock or deride someone or something with contempt or ridicule. It can also mean to make a person or thing appear laughable or worthy of contempt.
- To mock or treat someone or something with contempt.
- To make someone or something appear laughable or deserving of contempt.
"The speaker was ridiculed for making a sincere but poorly delivered speech."
"The proposal was ridiculed throughout the meeting."
"She felt ridiculed when her colleagues laughed at her accent."
To be ridiculed can transform an ordinary mistake into a public object of contempt—and the word has done so for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ridiculed come from?
The word comes from the Latin verb ridere, meaning "to laugh at" or "to mock," and the related adjective ridiculus, meaning "laughable" or "contemptible." English adopted ridicule in the late sixteenth century, and the verb form ridiculed developed from it. The same Latin root is reflected in related English words such as ridiculous, risible, and deride.
Related word forms
How ridiculed is actually used
Ridiculed is used especially in formal, literary, or journalistic contexts. It is somewhat more forceful and contemptuous than merely mocked and is commonly used in the passive construction, as in "was ridiculed."
Easily confused with ridiculed
Ridiculed describes the act of mocking someone or something, while ridiculous is an adjective meaning absurd, laughable, or worthy of ridicule.