laughingstock
C1Informal, occasionally found in journalistic prose.
Definition
Meaning
A person or thing subjected to ridicule or mockery; an object of derision.
Can refer to an idea, organisation, or policy that is widely ridiculed and considered a failure.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a public and enduring state of ridicule, not a momentary joke. Carries a sense of humiliation and loss of dignity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK prefers hyphenated 'laughing-stock', US favours solid 'laughingstock'. Both forms are understood in each region. Concept and usage are identical.
Connotations
Identical strong negative connotation of humiliation.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK media, but common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Person/Organization] became a laughingstock[Action/Event] made [Person] a laughingstock[Person] was turned into a laughingstocka laughingstock of [the nation/the world/the community]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a laughingstock to all and sundry”
- “the laughingstock of the [town/industry/nation]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The failed product launch made the company a laughingstock in the tech industry.
Academic
His discredited theory became a laughingstock among his peers.
Everyday
After tripping on stage, he felt like a complete laughingstock.
Technical
Rarely used in technical contexts; prefers plain terms like 'discredited' or 'falsified'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The minister was utterly laughing-stocked by the press.
American English
- He got laughingstocked after the viral video.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- Not standard. Use 'ridiculous' or 'laughable'.
American English
- Not standard. Use 'ridiculous' or 'laughable'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He did not want to be a laughingstock.
- The team's mistake made them a laughingstock for weeks.
- The policy, once heralded as innovative, quickly became a national laughingstock.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a STOCK (a wooden post) in the village square where people are LAUGHING at someone tied to it.
Conceptual Metaphor
RIDICULE IS A PUBLIC SPECTACLE / HUMILIATION IS BEING PINNED IN PLACE FOR MOCKERY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend with 'смехотворный' (laughable/ridiculous) which is an adjective for things, not a noun for people.
- Avoid direct calque 'смеющийся запас'. Correct equivalents: 'посмешище', 'предмет насмешек'.
Common Mistakes
- Using as an adjective (e.g., 'a laughingstock situation' – incorrect). It is only a noun.
- Confusing with 'laughing gas' (nitrous oxide).
- Misspelling as 'laughing stalk'.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'laughingstock' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In American English, it is one word ('laughingstock'). In British English, it is often hyphenated ('laughing-stock'), though the solid form is increasingly common.
It can refer to both people and things (e.g., a company, a policy, a product) that become objects of widespread ridicule.
A 'laughingstock' is ridiculed and mocked. A 'scapegoat' is blamed for the mistakes of others, which may or may not involve ridicule.
It is strongly critical and humiliating, but not a swear word. It is acceptable in informal and journalistic contexts but would be considered harsh in polite or formal criticism.