What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
roast
Example
We're going to roast a chicken for dinner tonight. [roast: verb]
Example
The roast of the retiring CEO was hilarious. [roast: noun]
Example
The politician was roasted by the media for his controversial remarks. [roasted: past participle]
ridicule
Example
The bullies ridiculed the new student for his accent. [ridiculed: verb]
Example
The comedian's jokes were met with ridicule from the audience. [ridicule: noun]
Example
The company's new product was met with ridicule by industry experts. [ridicule: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Ridicule is more commonly used than roast in everyday language. Ridicule is a strong word that conveys a negative and hurtful attitude, while roast is a more specific term that is often used in the context of comedy or cooking.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between roast and ridicule?
Both roast and ridicule are informal words that are not appropriate for formal situations. However, ridicule is more strongly associated with negative and hurtful attitudes, making it even less appropriate for formal contexts.
