spotten
mock
Jemanden absichtlich auslachen oder über ihn reden, um ihn lächerlich zu machen.
Definition & meaning
Spotten means to mock, ridicule, or make fun of someone or something, often with a tone of scorn or contempt. It is usually used with über: to mock someone or something.
It also appears in the expression „Das spottet jeder Beschreibung“—literally, “That mocks every description.” The expression means “It defies description” or “It is beyond words,” often because something is exceptionally bad or extreme.
Grammar & word origin
Spotten is a regular, weak verb:
- Present: ich spotte, du spottest, er/sie/es spottet
- Simple past: spottete
- Perfect: hat gespottet
The usual construction is . The verb is not separable. It is historically related to (“mockery” or “scorn”).
Synonyms & antonyms
- — to ridicule or mock; very close in meaning, but often takes a direct object.
- — to jeer at or deride; generally more openly insulting or contemptuous.
- — to make fun of; often less formal and sometimes less harsh than spotten.
Possible antonyms, depending on context:
- — to respect; the clearest opposite when spotten expresses contempt.
- — to appreciate or acknowledge the value of something; an opposite when spotten means to belittle it.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Die Schüler spotten über seine seltsame Kleidung.verb
The students mock his strange clothes.
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