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Definitions

derisive

[dih-rahy-siv, -ris-iv] / dɪˈraɪ sɪv, -ˈrɪs ɪv /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He ticked through each, using derisive language to highlight what he viewed as their past failings and deficiencies.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

It was a time when creator Scott Adams wasn’t just a recognizable name but something of an aspirational one, when “the Dilbert guy” was more an affectionate nickname than a derisive shorthand.

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2026

The phrase carries a derisive jeer, a suggestion that anyone born into fame and wealth gets to glide through life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

He also appeared to be adopting a new derisive nickname for him.

From New York Times • Apr. 27, 2024

I’d heard him called “the Perfessor” by various semiliterate wags about town in tones that might have been termed faintly derisive.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly




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