mocker

IPA/ˈmɒkə(r)/
IPA/ˈmɑːkər/

mocker — noun

1. someone who makes fun of another person or thing in a cruel manner, often by imi

1.nounC1
Definition

someone who makes fun of another person or thing in a cruel manner, often by imitating their words, voice, or behaviour to embarrass them in front of others.

Example

Gabriel grew up surrounded by mockers at school who teased him about his stutter.

countable noun: mockers as a group

Trang ignored the online mockers who left rude comments under her cooking videos.

Common collocations
  • ignore the mockers
  • face the mockers
  • silence the mockers
  • a mocker of authority
Synonyms
  • scoffer

    similar register; emphasises spoken contempt rather than imitation

  • jeerer

    stresses loud shouting at someone, often in a crowd

  • teaser

    much milder; teasing can be playful, mocking is cruel

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a mocker of [something/someone]

Usage Note

Often appears in the plural (mockers) to describe a hostile audience, or with 'of' to name the target (a mocker of authority). Less common than the verb 'mock' or the noun 'mockery' in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

He is a mocker on politics.
He is a mocker of politics.
use 'of' to introduce what is being mocked, not 'on' or 'about'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four label someone who treats a person or idea with verbal contempt, but they differ in tone and channel. A 'mocker' specifically imitates voice, words, or gestures to make the target look foolish, often in front of others. A 'scoffer' expresses disbelief or dismissal through cutting remarks, usually without imitation — you scoff at a claim more than at a person's mannerisms. A 'jeerer' shouts loud, hostile remarks, typical of a hostile crowd at a public event. A 'teaser' is far milder and can be affectionate, the way an older sibling teases a younger one. So you might say: 'The scoffers laughed at the new theory, the jeerers booed the speaker off stage, and the mockers copied her accent in the corridor afterwards.'

mocker ↗scoffer ↗jeerer ↗teaser ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • a crowd of mockers
  • the mocker's voice

Phrases

  • face the mockers
  • silence the mockers
  • ignore the mockers

Prepositions

  • mocker of

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed from the verb 'mock' plus the agent suffix '-er' meaning 'one who does'. The verb 'mock' came into Middle English from Old French 'mocquer' ('to deride'), itself of uncertain origin but possibly imitative of a snorting or grunting sound made in scorn. The noun 'mocker' has been recorded in English since the late 14th century.