Laughingstock - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Definition:
A person or thing ridiculed and seen as absurd or foolish by others.
Synonyms:
butt of jokes, figure of fun, mockery, target
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
hero, role model
Common Collocations:
become a laughingstock, turn into a laughingstock, avoid being a laughingstock
Derivatives:
laugh (verb), laughter (noun)
Usage Tips:
Use "laughingstock" to describe someone or something widely mocked for being ridiculous or incompetent.
Common Phrases:
make a laughingstock of someone, public laughingstock, avoid becoming a laughingstock
Etymology:
Originates from "laughing" + "stock," meaning a target for ridicule (16th century).
Examples:
- 1. His silly mistake made him the laughingstock of the office.
- 2. The team became a laughingstock after losing 10-0.
- 3. She feared her outdated clothes would turn her into a laughingstock.
- 4. The politician’s blunder turned him into a national laughingstock.