derisive

de·ri·sive
D2E1R1I1S1I1V4E1
UK/dɪˈɹaɪ.sɪv/UK/dɪˈɹɪ.sɪv/Canada, US/dɪˈraɪsɪv/Canada, US[dɪˈraɪsɪv]

adjective

Expressing or characterized by derision; mocking; ridiculing.

“The critic's review of the film was derisive.”

UncommonScrabble 12

Meanings

adjectivederisive (comparative more derisive, superlative most derisive)

comparative more derisive · superlative most derisive

  1. Expressing or characterized by derision; mocking; ridiculing.

    The critic's review of the film was derisive.

    2 more examples

    Johnson shook his head, a derisive grin ticking the corners of his mouth.

    1970, Wally Ferris, Across 110th, page 69

    It’s a humiliating moment, to be sure. Tripp is riding to school with a bunch of other kids when a classmate pulls up alongside the bus driving a sweet, tricked-out truck, attractive young lady at his side, and shoots Tripp a derisive look.

    2017 January 12, Jesse Hassenger, “A literal monster truck is far from the stupidest thing about Monster Trucks”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 27 Jan 2017

    Synonyms: mocking, ridiculing, scornful, disdainful, sardonic, contemptuous

  2. Deserving or provoking derision or ridicule.

    The plot of the film was so derisive that the audience began to jeer.

    Synonyms: ridiculous, derisory

nounderisive (plural derisives)

plural derisives

  1. rareA derisive remark.

    Indeed, the power inherent in the labels attributed to them has repeatedly transformed these terms from allegedly scientific ones into colloquial derisives.

    2017, Bogdadn Lesnik, Countering Discrimination in Social Work
    2 more examples

    The three lambs stood at bay, huddled close together, and helplessly bleated feeble derisives at the wolf who has headed them off from safety; but their polite and Englishy tone was a source of Homeric laughter to this Thersites of the Pleasance.

    1894, Samuel Rutherford Crockett, The Stickit Minister: And Some Common Men, page 173

    He leaped over the embankment at the river's edge in such a manner that it appeared he had been fatally hit and was down for good; the Yankees shouting such derisives as "Another damn Rebel for hell," "Goodbye, you Rebel bastard," etc., didn't go right away to rob the corpse.

    1962, Homer Floyd Fansler, History of Tucker County, West Virginia, page 192

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveExpressing or characterized by derision; mocking; ridiculing.

adjectiveDeserving or provoking derision or ridicule.

expressing or characterized by derision

deserving or provoking derision

Opposite

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveabusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindērīdeō“to deride”
  2. Englishderisive

From the participle stem of Latin dērīdeō (“to deride”) + -ive.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian насмешлив, подигравателен
  • насмешлив (nasmešliv)expressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • подигравателен (podigravatelen)expressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • смехотворен (smehotvoren)deserving or provoking derision
Czech posměšný, výsměšný
  • posměšnýexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • výsměšnýexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • pohrdavýexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • směšnýdeserving or provoking derision
Finnish pilkallinen
  • pilkallinenexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
French dérisoire, ridiculeironique
  • dérisoireexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • ridiculeironiqueexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • moqueurexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
German spöttisch, höhnisch
  • spöttischexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • höhnischexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • lächerlichdeserving or provoking derision
Greek χλευαστικός, χλευαστικός
  • χλευαστικός (chlevastikós)expressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • χλευαστικός (chlevastikós)deserving or provoking derision
Hungarian gúnyos, gúnyolódó
  • gúnyosexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • gúnyolódóexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • gúnyosdeserving or provoking derision
  • gúnyolódódeserving or provoking derision
Icelandic háðslegur
  • háðslegurexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
Polish szyderczy, drwiący
  • szyderczyexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • drwiącyexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
Portuguese escarnecedor, ridículo
  • escarnecedorexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • ridículodeserving or provoking derision
Russian насме́шливый, смехотво́рный
  • насме́шливый (nasméšlivyj)expressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • смехотво́рный (smexotvórnyj)deserving or provoking derision
Spanish irrisorio, irrisorio
  • irrisorioexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
  • irrisoriodeserving or provoking derision
Swedish skrattretande
  • skrattretandeexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking
Turkish alaycı
  • alaycıexpressing or characterized by derision; mocking

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with derisive

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

derisive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/derisive

MLA

“derisive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/derisive. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “derisive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/derisive.

Source: derisive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.