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Definition of "derisory" [de•ri•so•ry]

  • Expressing derision; derisive. (adjective)
  • Laughable; ridiculous: a contribution so small as to be derisory. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "derisory" in a sentence
  • "Photograph: Richard Sellers-Sportsphoto Bolton Wanderers over his attempt to sign Gary Cahill, with his managerial counterpart Owen Coyle saying that "the word derisory doesn't even cover" Arsenal's offer for the central defender."
  • "I'm only passing this on as a third party but the word derisory doesn't even cover it."
  • "Britain is directing around £90m to help alleviate victims of the famine, a figure which dwarfs what Mitchell describes as "derisory" contributions by some European countries."