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Prepositions after verbs

Ridicule by or ridicule for?

Ridicule usually takes a direct object. By and for can appear in passive or extended structures, but they have different functions.

Quick answer

How are by and for used with ridicule?

Use ridicule directly with the person or thing mocked: ridicule his idea. In passive sentences, by names who does the mocking. For introduces the reason someone is mocked.

They ridiculed his accent.
She was ridiculed by her classmates.
He was ridiculed for arriving late.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
ridicule + person/idea

Mocking someone or something

Ridicule commonly takes a direct object.

Critics ridiculed the proposal immediately.
The film ridicules celebrity culture.
2
ridiculed by + person/group

Naming who mocked someone

By is used mainly in passive constructions.

He was ridiculed by the press.
The player was ridiculed by fans online.
3
ridiculed for + reason

Giving the reason for mockery

For introduces the action, quality, or behaviour being mocked.

She was ridiculed for her pronunciation.
They were ridiculed for changing the logo.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
ridicule by
The scientist was ridiculed by colleagues.
by names the source of ridicule in a passive sentence
ridicule for
He was ridiculed for his mistake.
for gives the reason for ridicule
ridicule + object
They ridiculed the plan.
directly mock someone or something
ridicule with
The article ridiculed the policy with sarcasm.
with introduces manner or tool, not a fixed pattern

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using by in an active sentence

By usually appears in passive constructions.

✕ They ridiculed by his accent. ✓ They ridiculed his accent.

Omitting for before the reason

For is needed before the reason in passive structures.

✕ She was ridiculed her clothes. ✓ She was ridiculed for her clothes.

Using ridicule to

Ridicule is not followed by to in this meaning.

✕ They ridiculed to the idea. ✓ They ridiculed the idea.

Confusing ridicule and criticize

Ridicule means mock or laugh at, not simply disagree with.

✕ The report ridiculed the data carefully. ✓ The report criticized the data carefully.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He was ridiculed ___ his classmates.
2. She was ridiculed ___ her unusual hat.
3. Critics ridiculed ___ proposal.

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Frequently asked questions

Is ridicule by correct?

Yes, mainly in passive sentences such as He was ridiculed by his peers.

When do we use ridicule for?

Use ridicule for to give the reason someone is mocked.

Can ridicule be used without a preposition?

Yes. It usually takes a direct object, such as ridicule an idea or ridicule a person.

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