mock

verb · noun · adjective

Simple meaning

To make fun of someone by copying them.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

mahk

US device voice

IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈmɑk

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

verb

To make fun of, especially by mimicking; to taunt.
To mimic, to simulate.
To tantalise, and disappoint the hopes of.

noun

Mockery; the act of mocking.
An imitation, usually of lesser quality.
An examination, where the marks may or may not count, which serves chiefly as practice for future exams or so that the teachers are able to set a grade before the end of the term.

adjective

Imitation, not genuine; fake.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty: B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency: Moderately Common
Typical Use: Varies by meaning

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: To make fun of, especially by mimicking; to taunt.

Used this way, mock is a reasonably familiar word with a clearly unfavourable pull. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone: Negative
Formality: Neutral
Intensity: Moderate
How common: Moderately common
Connotation: Serious and weighty
Usage feel: Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use mock

“The new constitution mocks all democratic principles.”verb
“The children mocked their handicapped classmate.”verb

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

mock trialmock turtlemock orangemock battlemock horrormock seriousness

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

mock sunnounCompound term
A bright spot on the parhelic circle.
mock turtle soupnounCompound term
Soup made from a calf's head or other meat in imitation of green turtle soup.
mock-upnounCompound term
Full-scale working model of something built for study or testing or display.
mock orangenounCompound term
Large hardy shrub with showy and strongly fragrant creamy-white flowers in short terminal racemes.
mocking thrushnounCompound term
Thrush-like American songbird able to mimic other birdsongs.
mock-heroicnounCompound term
A satirical imitation of heroic verse.

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.