make a mockery of

present singular third person makes a mockery of · participle present making a mockery of · participle past made a mockery of · past made a mockery of · alternative make mockery of

1. idiomatictransitiveTo mock; to ridicule or imitate, often to express contempt.

   After Gervinho had been brilliantly denied an early shot on goal by Mats Hummels' outstretched boot, the German champions made a mockery of their fourth-seeding in this season's group-stage draw.

   2011 September 13, Sam Lyon, “Borussia Dortmund 1 - 1 Arsenal”, in BBC

2. To give a bad name, to act in such a way as to bring ridicule upon that which one represents.

   This is also a TransPennine Express service which makes a mockery of the word 'express'.

   2023 November 1, Philip Haigh, “TPE must choose the right route to a brighter future”, in RAIL, number 995, page 56

   1 more example

   The Begin regime has made a mockery of the slogan "Never Again," which to me means a determination to work against another Holocaust occurring against the Jews or any other people.

   1982 December 11, Ann Gluck, “Common Struggle”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 21, page 4

3. idiomatictransitiveTo defeat easily, so as to show up as inadequate.

   The burglars made a mockery of the museum's security system.

   2 more examples

   […]and this squadron would include various steamships that made further mockery of the sail-powered slave ships' attempts to evade them.

   2018 December 1, Drachinifel, 7:51 from the start, in Anti-Slavery Patrols - The West Africa Squadron, archived from the original on 29 Nov 2024

   England played with style and superiority, showing the levels Tuchel insisted they would, making a mockery of the threat most observers thought Serbia would provide.

   2025 September 9, Phil McNulty, “Serbia 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport