Definition

A person or thing that is laughed at or ridiculed by others.

Example

After his embarrassing mistake, he became the laughingstock of the entire school.

Conversation

Did you hear what happened to Tom at the party last night?

Yeah, I heard he became the laughingstock of the event.

I can't believe he tripped and spilled drinks everywhere!

Right? Now everyone is joking about it, poor guy.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Laughingstock is formed from "laughing" (the present participle of "laugh", which comes from Old English "hlæhhan", meaning to express mirth) and "stock" (from Old English "stoc", meaning a tree trunk or a place). The term refers to a person or thing that is the subject of laughter or ridicule, as if they are a mere object of amusement.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who is the 'object' ('stock') of laughter ('laughing') — that's why a laughingstock is someone who is ridiculed.

Visually Confused Words