make fun of
To tease, ridicule or make jokes about, generally in a pejorative manner.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“It is not nice to make fun of other people.”
“Please do not make fun of my singing voice.”
“The students started to make fun of his new haircut, which made him feel very embarrassed.”
“The comedian likes to make fun of his own clumsy mistakes to make the audience feel more comfortable.”
“I used to make fun of my brother's strange hobbies, but now I actually enjoy doing them with him.”
“Although he often used humor to connect with others, he frequently crossed the line to make fun of his colleagues' professional mistakes.”
first recorded 18th c.
First recorded in 1737, the phrase preserves an earlier, less festive sense of its noun. The term traces back to the 1680s verb fun, meaning to cheat or trick, which produced the circa 1700 noun for a hoax or a swindle. This usage is rooted in the Middle English fon or fonne, denoting a fool or a person of simple character. Under this construction, to make fun of someone was to make a fool of them, or perhaps more accurately, to make a trick of them.
- 01
absence makes the heart grow fonder
One feels more love or affection for those one loves when parted from them.
- 02
cannot make it
Cannot reach satisfactory or expected standards or do something competently; describes someone in a hopeless situation.
- 03
doctors make the worst patients
It is difficult to advise people on subjects that they are experts on.
- 04
enough to make a cat laugh
Very outlandish or outrageous.
- 05
enough to make the angels weep
Something so distressing that it causes one to lose hope and faith.
- 06
fine feathers make fine birds
Something that appears beautiful or good is by definition beautiful or good.
- 07
fun and games
Recreation; nothing serious; easy, enjoyable activities.
- 08
have it made
To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty.
Last updated August 10, 2026