| Main Entry: | derisive |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | ridiculing |
Synonyms: |
cheeky*, cocky, contemptuous, crusty, disdainful, flip*, fresh, gally, insulting, jeering, mocking, nervy, out-of-line, rude, sarcastic, sassy, scoffing, scornful, smart*, smart-alecky, taunting |
Antonyms: |
complimentary, flattering, praising, respectful |
| Main Entry: | abusive |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | exhibiting unkind behavior or words |
Synonyms: |
calumniating, castigating, censorious, contumelious, defamatory, derisive, disparaging, insolent, insulting, invective, libelous, maligning, obloquious, offensive, opprobrious, reproachful, reviling, rude, sarcastic, scathing, scolding, scurrilous, sharp-tongued, slanderous, traducing, upbraiding, vilifying, vituperative |
Antonyms: |
complimentary, kind, respectful |
| Main Entry: | contemptuous |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | arrogant, insolent |
Synonyms: |
audacious, bold, cavalier, cheeky, cold-shoulder, condescending, contumelious, cool, derisive, derisory, disdainful, disrespectful, dog it, hard, hard-nosed, haughty, high and mighty, high hat, insulting, on high horse, opprobrious, sardonic, scornful, sneering, snippy, snobbish, snooty, snotty, supercilious, temperamental, uppity, upstage |
| Notes: | contemptible means deserving contempt, while contemptuous means bestowing contempt; the first sense of contemptuous was 'despising law and order' |
Antonyms: |
humble, polite, respected, shy |
| Main Entry: | cynical |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | nonbelieving; doubtful |
Synonyms: |
contemptuous, derisive, ironic, misanthropic, misanthropical, mocking, pessimistic, sarcastic, sardonic, scoffing, scornful, skeptical, sneering, suspicious, unbelieving, wry |
Antonyms: |
believing, hopeful, optimistic, trusting, undoubting |
| Main Entry: | disdainful |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | scornful |
Synonyms: |
aloof, antipathetic, arrogant, averse, cavalier, contemning, contemptuous, cool, derisive, despising, egotistic, haughty, high-and-mighty, hoity-toity, indifferent, insolent, lordly, overbearing, proud, rejecting, repudiating, scouting, sneering, snooty, supercilious, superior, toplofty, unsympathetic, uppity |
Antonyms: |
esteemable, favoring, loving, praising, respectful |
| Main Entry: | ironic/ironical |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | sarcastic |
Synonyms: |
acrid, alert, arrogant, backbiting, biting, bitter, burlesque, caustic, chaffing, clever, contemptuous, contradictory, critical, cutting, cynical, defiant, derisive, disparaging, double-edged, exaggerated, implausible, incisive, incongruous, jibing, keen, mocking, mordant, paradoxical, pungent, quick-witted, ridiculous, sardonic, satiric, satirical, scathing, scoffing, sharp, sneering, spicy, trenchant, twisted, uncomplimentary, witty, wry |
Antonyms: |
considerate, deferential |
| Main Entry: | irreverent |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | disrespectful |
Synonyms: |
aweless, cheeky*, cocky*, contemptuous, crusty, derisive, flip*, flippant, fresh, iconoclastic, impertinent, impious, impudent, insolent, irreverential, mocking, out-of-line, profane, rude, sacrilegious, sassy*, saucy*, tongue-in-cheek, ungodly, unhallowed, unholy |
Antonyms: |
religious, respectful, reverent |
| Main Entry: | laughable |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | easily made fun of |
Synonyms: |
absurd, amusing, asinine, bizarre, camp, campy, comic, comical, derisive, derisory, diverting, droll, eccentric, entertaining, facetious, fantastic, farcical, funny, gelastic, har-har, hilarious, humorous, inane, jocose, jocular, jokey, joshing, ludicrous, mirthful, mocking, nonsensical, preposterous, rich, ridiculous, riot, risible, scream, unusual, witty |
Antonyms: |
grave, serious |
| Main Entry: | pejorative |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | negative, belittling |
Synonyms: |
debasing, deprecatory, depreciatory, derisive, derogatory, detracting, detractive, detractory, disadvantageous, disparaging, irreverent, rude, slighting, uncomplimentary, unpleasant |
Antonyms: |
complimentary, positive, praising |
| Main Entry: | quizzical |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | appearing confused or curious |
Synonyms: |
amusing, aporetic, arch, bantering, derisive, disbelieving, eccentric, incredulous, inquiring, inquisitive, mocking, odd, probing, quaint, queer, questioning, sardonic, searching, show-me, skeptical, supercilious, suspicious, teasing, unbelieving, unusual |
Antonyms: |
certain, understanding |